Police searches of ancestry DNA databases
- Kind
- Policy and health systems
Prompt
Millions of people have mailed a saliva sample to companies that use it to estimate their ancestry and connect them with relatives. Police have solved murders that were decades old by comparing DNA left at a crime scene with these databases, finding a distant cousin of the suspect, and then using family trees to narrow down who the suspect is. Supporters say this brings justice to victims' families and frees innocent people who were wrongly suspected. Critics say that the relatives who are exposed never agreed to be searched, and that one person's choice to send a sample reveals information about their whole family. Should police be allowed to search these databases? Explain your reasoning.
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After you practice: what this question tests and how to approach it
What this question tests
- Critical thinking
- Ethical reasoning
- Health systems and advocacy
How to approach this question
This MMI station tests how you weigh justice for crime victims against the privacy of relatives who never agreed to share their genetic information. Name the people affected: victims and their families, innocent people who were cleared, customers who sent samples, and relatives exposed without consent. Say what you'd want to know, such as whether customers were told police could search, and what limits exist on the kinds of crimes involved. Weigh open access, a full ban, and access with conditions like customer consent or court approval. Land on a clear view about confidentiality and privacy in genetic data. When a follow-up makes the question personal, examine whether your principle holds when it costs someone you love.
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