But, users know that 23andMe will use this data to develop medicine, and they agree to it.This is like saying "don't blame Amazon for not paying taxes, blame the laws." Why not both?
I don't even let my phone have my fingerprint, there's no fucking way I'm handing my DNA overWhat a fucking shock. I trust absolutely none of these SEND US YOUR DNA companies.
Are you an anti-vaxxer, per chance? It's just a medical racket designed to make faceless corporations more money. I hear it actually even makes kids sick when they were healthy. Evil stuff, we're better off without.I'm not sure what gives you the confidence that corporations are doing anything but looking at their own best interests. When it comes to medical advancements it's even more obvious. Even if you are confident and feel comfortable, surely you can understand other people's reticence with how stuff like the opiate crisis has gone.
Why would I blame a for-profit company for selling a product using data that users agreed to? It's not nearly as bad as what Amazon does.
But, users know that 23andMe will use this data to develop medicine, and they agree to it.
I really don't know what the problem is here.
In a less snarky manner, anti-capitalist suspicion, while understandable, can easily become full blown anti-science rhetoric, particularly when people are more interested in arguing the ethics of capitalism over understanding the aims of the research, consent of the parties and mechanism of the drug.
23andMe makes it very clear that this is the intention of collecting DNA information. It's presented as a feature, it's not buried in a TOS. Everyone who uses the service agrees to this, and you can opt out if you want to.Who is mad? People are just discussing this.
People agree to a lot of things because we tend to be lazy. Perhaps I'm wrong but I don't trust any corporation, especially one that makes its money on selling information and researching DNA in order to create new products for money. It sounds like something out of Minority Report. Plus, I can't help but not trust any part of the medical field because of its for profit nature. Helping people in this way should not be monetized. Looks like I'm in the minority.
I think it shows how poor our society is when we have to argue on the merits of medical research supplied by DNA uploaded to a for profit ancestry site. I don't agree that medical science should be a commodity.
Who is mad? People are just discussing this.
People agree to a lot of things because we tend to be lazy. Perhaps I'm wrong but I don't trust any corporation, especially one that makes its money on selling information and researching DNA in order to create new products for money. It sounds like something out of Minority Report. Plus, I can't help but not trust any part of the medical field because of its for profit nature. Helping people in this way should not be monetized. Looks like I'm in the minority.
I think it shows how poor our society is when we have to argue on the merits of medical research supplied by DNA uploaded to a for profit ancestry site. I don't agree that medical science should be a commodity.
The problem is when the rest of your family does it. You're damned either way.Pro tip: Don't ever give your DNA to these companies. It's a work
You didn't? I bet you agreed to alot in the small print. They'll keep it forever too DNA and samples could be worth a fortune in the future and health data is worth tons nowAncestryDNA better not be using my dna for awful shit. I did not sign up for that.
Not knowingly at least :(You didn't? I bet you agreed to alot in the small print. They'll keep it forever too DNA and samples could be worth a fortune in the future and health data is worth tons now
I wouldn't worry in the future individual types of DNA will be less needed they'll just create new types of whatever they needNot knowingly at least :(
It was worth it to finally truly learn my roots I guess.
Plus, I can't help but not trust any part of the medical field because of its for profit nature. Helping people in this way should not be monetized. Looks like I'm in the minority.
So reserve anger for later?You guys are exhausting sometimes, holy hell.
The only way this should be outrageous is if they jack up the prices on medicines they help develop.
I'm not surprised, but there's also people who work at these companies who drink the Kool-aid and would sell their souls to make more money.I spoke to 2 people who worked for one of these companies and they told me they would NEVER get tested themselves
Pro:
These companies work with your DNA, contain it in their lab, run tests on it, aggregate lots of data, build data sets for people with higher likelihood of cancer A, B, C, hairloss, diabetes, etc. So it's easier to study.
Neutral:
Eg: Data found that 5% of people have a higher likelihood of cancer A, 26% likelihood of cancer B, and 1% likelihood of cancer C.
Where do you think the funding will then go? Cancer B.
Con:
What if these companies decide that they can make even more money targeting people with hair-loss, treatable genetic diseases, etc., and collude with the health industry to set a fixed price for some of the services that more and more people will need.
Cancer C now gets little to no funding.
Potentially, people with Cancer B get targeted with ads for cancer treatments. Treatments for Cancer B start going up in price, because there's more revenue to be made from the higher volumes of "clients."
METAL GEAR SOLID CAPITLISIM (seriously, it's funny but consider):
Company sells DNA data. DNA data is then used to target individuals of a particular genetic strand. A weapon is then developed to only attack people with that genetic code.
Capitalism is looking real hot lately
Company sells DNA data. DNA data is then used to target individuals of a particular genetic strand. A weapon is then developed to only attack people with that genetic code.
So, all worth it then.
There's several levels to the outrage:
- They're selling my DNA! - They aren't, if they did you would need to consent to it explicitly.
- They're selling my DNA in aggregate! - They do let users opt-in/out of this. It's unclear to me if it's default in or out so maybe there's some dark patterns at work but overall this should not be unknown to you since you agreed (and if you blindly signed I'm not sure what you expected with that one, it was pretty clear that was a very likely possibility). Also, they aren't, at least here.
- They're not paying me for being part of a study! - Now we're getting closer. Unfortunately that's not liquid gold in your mouth, any DNA is worthless, it's only in aggregate that this is worth anything. So expecting even 10s of dollars is off the mark (and if you think you deserve more, that's why research to medicine is so ridiculously expensive). So maybe you could get a little bit. If they sold it for 20 million, everyone on 23andme would get about $2 (assuming they ate the R&D costs, and the overhead for Amazon e gift cards because checks wouldn't even be worth it). But they also update their site with new features so you probably got $2 worth of stuff anyway.
- They're making a profit off of me! - Does it matter? You paid for your test and they presumably gave you exactly what was promised. That transaction is over. Feeling bad they made a tiny bit extra you after the agreed transaction was carried out is just a bit much. Again you aren't worth millions, millions are worth millions.
- They're going to mark up this medicine so even the people in the test can't benefit - This is probably the most reasonable concern. We don't know what happens to it or if it will be sold in an ethical way. Certainly as a product of many users, they should have a little bit of say in how it is ultimately used.
Until it's challenged in court, which I would hope a judge would see how insane it is that you can so easily lose control of your most fundamental data.
Yeah, some of these places on the down low work with the cops but don't advertise it cause they want people to keep picking them over the other options.Wasn't there a story about dna companies also selling their databases to police forces too?
I too am shocked that they have used people's DNA for nefarious reasons. How could anybody have seen this coming?!
If you're stupid enough to give your DNA to a company you deserve to have them do whatever they please with it. Jesus Christ people.
The last point is also only US related and no problem for countries with normal health careThe last point is the most obviously material one and the most immediately concerning upon seeing the headline. It won't be distributed ethically.
I don't fully understand here.
Data was used anonymously I'm guess and for those who opt in?
Can someone clarify the exploitative aspect?