4 ms·

23AndMe is reusing the same model as Google with the extra advantage that people are naively ready to pay for it. They have the same privacy issues as Google a

23AndMe is reusing the same model as Google with the extra advantage that people are naively ready to pay for it. They have the same privacy issues as Google and I would certainly never trust them with my DNA. I know it's easy enough to get access to it but I'm certainly not going to pay or volunteer to give it. That information is eventually going to get weaponized. What will happen once they manage to statistically correlate your DNA with your political beliefs for example? Or correlate your DNA with a profile that is more likely to buy specific products? Right now I see them doing the same thing that Google did 15 years ago. They are hyping consumers by pushing stories of curing rare diseases with the help of statistics. Similar to Google 15 years ago that pretended to make the world a better place by creating top technology. It is clear to me what the end goal is going to be though. 23AndMe CEO is the sister of Youtube CEO and ex-wife of Sergei Brin. Enough said, no thanks.

Real_S 7y ago
Here is a study on the genetics of political belief[0]. In summary, there is a large genetic component. [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4038932/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4038932/
- klipt 7y ago
  Causal or just correlation? It's easy to imagine spurious correlation. Eg Italian Catholic populations may be more right wing than British Protestant populations. But that doesn't mean it's Italian genes making then right wing.
  - Real_S 7y ago
    These twin studies control for ethnicity and cultural heritage. Side note, I personally know one of the researchers on this paper and can vouch for his talent and credibility.
  - mateo1 7y ago
    You imply that they care about this. They don't.
searine 7y ago
>They are hyping consumers by pushing stories of curing rare diseases with the help of statistics. Except they actually are. 23andMe data has been invaluable in the effort to figure out what is causing complex genetic disease. Here is one I've personally used to research depression : https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3623 https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3623

Real_S 7y ago

Here is a study on the genetics of political belief[0]. In summary, there is a large genetic component. [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4038932/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4038932/

klipt 7y ago
Causal or just correlation? It's easy to imagine spurious correlation. Eg Italian Catholic populations may be more right wing than British Protestant populations. But that doesn't mean it's Italian genes making then right wing.
- Real_S 7y ago
  These twin studies control for ethnicity and cultural heritage. Side note, I personally know one of the researchers on this paper and can vouch for his talent and credibility.
- mateo1 7y ago
  You imply that they care about this. They don't.

searine 7y ago

>They are hyping consumers by pushing stories of curing rare diseases with the help of statistics. Except they actually are. 23andMe data has been invaluable in the effort to figure out what is causing complex genetic disease. Here is one I've personally used to research depression : https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3623 https://www.nature.com/articles/ng.3623