Comments on: What National DNA Databases are for https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125 2002-2015 Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:07:32 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.2 By: Jardinero1 https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-13000 Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:07:32 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-13000 I wonder how bad must the service be or how savage the riders if there is enough spitting to warrant a sign. I have witnessed a fair amount of mistreatment of service workers in my time but I have never seen anyone spat upon.

]]>
By: Jardinero1 https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12999 Sun, 08 Jan 2006 18:02:16 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12999 I think it would be useful to know how this database is acquired. It’s one matter to collect at booking, photos, fingerprints, and DNA of the accused and place it into a criminal database. It’s a different matter to collect the public’s DNA, for no particular reason, (say when renew their driver’s license or ID Card) and place that into a database.

]]>
By: Ed https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12998 Sun, 08 Jan 2006 13:27:24 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12998 Fingerprint databases can only be used to idendity if a suspect is the offender, however a DNA database can tell you much more about a person including their relatedness to other people on the database, blood-type, if they are going to develop Parkinson’s diease or already have other genetic diseases, among many other things. This information is avaliable to the government and NHS in later years if/when data protection laws are changed *for the good of the country* and will potentially cause discrimination in a system of ever increasing pressure. This leads to the insurance company debate and if they can have your genetic information to raise premiums of those that are predisposed to certain ailments.
If some kid is going to cause trouble and spit on someone, then DNA identification could be necessary for court prosecution puposes, but holding that information, and particularly obtaining genetic information for an offence that clearly has no relatedness to genes such as not wearing a seatbelt is absurd.

]]>
By: Thien https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12997 Thu, 05 Jan 2006 05:10:55 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12997 DNA in forensics to match a victim or suspect is different from a DNA database. With a national database anyone can be looked up for any reason. Although we have no qualms with fingerprint databases which are currently used.

]]>
By: Seth Finkelstein https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12996 Wed, 04 Jan 2006 12:08:00 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12996 Dennis, I really don’t think that a person who spits on someone can claim they have an expectation of privacy in the spit.

The example is pretty funny because we think of “DNA evidence” as somehow being very remote. But it’s not – many bodily products will work fine for forensic purposes. The obvious example is rape cases!

]]>
By: dennis https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12995 Wed, 04 Jan 2006 11:24:26 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12995 Quite amazing that every time a new technology removes privacy, someone comes along and says that because of that technology, you have no expectation of privacy in that realm anyway.

When terahertz-wave viewers are available at radio shack, the same people will say you should expect to be seen naked in public.

]]>
By: ACS https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12994 Tue, 03 Jan 2006 19:23:38 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12994 Is there anything seriously wrong with this. It is not as though our DNA is private, or is it? Does biological information fall within a different category than all other information that comes into the public domain?

It is quite clear that DNA is like all information made available in a public space – after all – “there is no property in a spectacle” – and for that matter in biological material.

My arguments would of course be different if there was some form of statutory provision making DNA private property or protected in some way.

Still the issue raised by our venerable hosts article is whether there is anything wrong with DNA testing – it looks like the big L is commenting on the advance of technology rather than the civil liberties that may be set aside.

]]>
By: Patrick R. Sweeney https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12993 Tue, 03 Jan 2006 13:49:46 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12993 More than a little absurd, but considering California v. Greenwood, isn’t this the the law, with respect to litter, in the U.S. as well?

]]>
By: Tom Morris https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12992 Tue, 03 Jan 2006 01:15:59 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12992 Wow. Just wow.

Ps. Are you doing anything public (lectures, discussions, media) while you’re in London? I really enjoyed the talk you gave at UCL about CC back in ’04.

]]>
By: tim fong https://archives.lessig.org/?p=3125#comment-12991 Mon, 02 Jan 2006 23:08:09 +0000 http://lessig.org/blog/2006/01/what_national_dna_databases_ar.html#comment-12991 Next up, using the saliva kits to catch gum litterers. To be followed by caning.

]]>