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A comment on New federal rules limit police searches of family tree DNA databases. Parent comment

Re:New federal rules limit police searches of family tree DN... by bayesian_horse on Friday September 27, 2019 @03:33AM (#21089398)
I know that members of the military already have been entered into DNA databases, and there are reasons to do this with police officers and firefighters. Mostly to identify them postmortem.

I don't subscribe to DNA information being a secret. It tends to be "secret" in the sense that it is non-trivial to obtain. But you leave behind a trail of DNA everywhere. Ultimately, it cannot be held secret.

Therefor it is more important to regulate the use of such information, for example to prevent discrimination.

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Re:New federal rules limit police searches of family tree DN... by nyolfen on Friday September 27, 2019 @05:39AM (#21090046)
i suspect the military/leo databases are not the ones being searched in criminal cases
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Re:New federal rules limit police searches of family tree DN... by Bedon292 on Friday September 27, 2019 @10:18AM (#21092258)
In fact when your DNA is taken for the military database it is explicitly stated that it will not be used for criminal cases. If anyone managed to search the database, that would certainly get thrown out by a court.
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Re:New federal rules limit police searches of family tree DN... by vageli on Friday September 27, 2019 @11:53AM (#21093298)
> In fact when your DNA is taken for the military database it is explicitly stated that it will not be used for criminal cases. If anyone managed to search the database, that would certainly get thrown out by a court.

I wouldn't be so sure. Evidence observed during the execution of a warrant against the incorrect property is still valid and admissable, for example. Not saying this kind of thing applies in this specific case but thought the idea worth mentioning.

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Re:New federal rules limit police searches of family tree DN... by bayesian_horse on Saturday September 28, 2019 @10:25AM (#21100436)
Aren't there exceptions when there is a reasonable cause to suspect a member of the military?
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