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What was your verdict on 23 and me dna testing? Satisfied?
I was considering it.
Found this though:
Customer Review
1,088 of 1,213 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars The details of their privacy policy, June 20, 2013
By johny q
This review is from: 23andMe Personal Genome Service: DNA Test for Health and Ancestry Information (Health and Beauty)
I ordered a kit several weeks ago, but I have yet to return it. Why? Because I read the (incredibly detailed) fine print of their privacy policy and started doing some research on genetic privacy. Even if you decide to opt-out of 23andMe's research program and don't give them any "Self-Reported" information, 23andMe still sells their partners more than enough data to connect your name and location (among other things) to your genetic information. For instance, 23andMe collects your "Web Behavior Information"...including your IP address, operating system, your ISP, browser type, cookies, anything you mention in your emails to customer support, and worst of all: web beacons. These are special cookies that track all of your browsing history. A cookie from Facebook can instantly give 23andMe access to your FB profile name. Any profile picture you post on 23andMe can be downloaded by an app developer. App developers are given access to your traits. How many people in a specific zip code of a small town have 1) red, curly hair 2) are good at sprinting 3) have bad teeth 4) poor memory 5) and diabetes? All of this data -- combined with your "web behavior and genetic information -- makes it incredibly easy for any app developer (or drug company) to identify you (even if the developer (technically) only has access to your "anonymous" id number). It is especially easy to identify males who have some sort of relatively uncommon disease. This is a big issue in politics right now. It is called "re-identification" in case you want to learn more about it. You can also google "23andMe's API." Overall, 23andMe's privacy FAQ is very misleading, and possibly illegal.
I was considering it.
Found this though:
Customer Review
1,088 of 1,213 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars The details of their privacy policy, June 20, 2013
By johny q
This review is from: 23andMe Personal Genome Service: DNA Test for Health and Ancestry Information (Health and Beauty)
I ordered a kit several weeks ago, but I have yet to return it. Why? Because I read the (incredibly detailed) fine print of their privacy policy and started doing some research on genetic privacy. Even if you decide to opt-out of 23andMe's research program and don't give them any "Self-Reported" information, 23andMe still sells their partners more than enough data to connect your name and location (among other things) to your genetic information. For instance, 23andMe collects your "Web Behavior Information"...including your IP address, operating system, your ISP, browser type, cookies, anything you mention in your emails to customer support, and worst of all: web beacons. These are special cookies that track all of your browsing history. A cookie from Facebook can instantly give 23andMe access to your FB profile name. Any profile picture you post on 23andMe can be downloaded by an app developer. App developers are given access to your traits. How many people in a specific zip code of a small town have 1) red, curly hair 2) are good at sprinting 3) have bad teeth 4) poor memory 5) and diabetes? All of this data -- combined with your "web behavior and genetic information -- makes it incredibly easy for any app developer (or drug company) to identify you (even if the developer (technically) only has access to your "anonymous" id number). It is especially easy to identify males who have some sort of relatively uncommon disease. This is a big issue in politics right now. It is called "re-identification" in case you want to learn more about it. You can also google "23andMe's API." Overall, 23andMe's privacy FAQ is very misleading, and possibly illegal.
