3 ms·

Cops Used DNA to Predict a Suspect's Face, Tried to Run Facial Recognition on It

27 points by Element_ 3y ago

matt3210 3y ago
[flagged]
throwitaway222 3y ago
Sir, you're under arrest for looking like this Dalle generated picture of a murderer in the style of Post-Impressionism.
- ars 3y ago
  They have the original DNA so at least it would be very easy to determine guilt or innocence? If someone is under arrest can they refuse to give a DNA sample? Can cops take some hair left behind?
  - kabouseng 3y ago
    Unless the lab makes a mistake and contaminates the suspects DNA sample, then you win yourself wrongful imprisonment...
- metaphor 3y ago
  Spidey sense is picking up all sorts of Minority Report x JBIG2 vibes on this one.
rvnx 3y ago
It's imperfect but better than nothing. Detectives do understand limitations of such techniques. Of course DNA exhibit phenotypes, so if it's an opportunity to know the skin color, the shape of the face, the eyes colors, the gender, etc. Pair that with the place where the person was likely born and potential relatives (ancestry) and you may find someone interesting, or who knows something useful.
- waffleiron 3y ago
  A non peer reviewed, non validated method. I wouldn’t want to be picked up as a suspect because of that, then have the police (lawfully) lie to me about what evidence they have and try to pressure me into confessing.
- CogitoCogito 3y ago
  > It's imperfect but better than nothing. Is there any evidence supporting this statement? It could very well be _worse_ than nothing.
metaphor 3y ago
https://archive.is/5kXrh https://archive.is/5kXrh https://web.archive.org/web/20240125142841/https://www.wired.com/story/parabon-nanolabs-dna-face-models-police-facial-recognition/ https://web.archive.org/web/20240125142841/https://www.wired...
ars 3y ago
I'd like to see them run a known person's DNA through their system and see what it does. I'm sure the company has done this already, and they should share the results with the police to give them an idea of how reliable the results are. Cops would not be expected to understand the limitations of this otherwise. Although I do give them credit for trying to solve a cold case.
Semaphor 3y ago
13 comments 3 days ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39092994 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39092994 16 comments 2 days ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39106224 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39106224
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
Alifatisk 3y ago
Damm, that’s scary. How do they go fröm DNA to a whole human face though?
- crotchfire 3y ago
  Parabon NanoLabs ran the suspect’s DNA through its proprietary machine learning model By judicious application of AI grift, basically.
  - salawat 3y ago
    The term is "mathwashing".
- carbocation 3y ago
  See Figure 2 from this PNAS paper from J Craig Venter[1]. It caused quite a stir at the time, and not because people thought it was useful or wise. 1 = https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1711125114 https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1711125114
- Denote6737 3y ago
  They don't. That's kinda the point. The service takes known genetic markers for things like dark hair, skin tone, bushy eyebrows, freckles. And generates a mockup face with those features.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]

27 points by Element_ 3y ago

[flagged]

Sir, you're under arrest for looking like this Dalle generated picture of a murderer in the style of Post-Impressionism.

ars 3y ago
They have the original DNA so at least it would be very easy to determine guilt or innocence? If someone is under arrest can they refuse to give a DNA sample? Can cops take some hair left behind?
- kabouseng 3y ago
  Unless the lab makes a mistake and contaminates the suspects DNA sample, then you win yourself wrongful imprisonment...
metaphor 3y ago
Spidey sense is picking up all sorts of Minority Report x JBIG2 vibes on this one.

rvnx 3y ago

It's imperfect but better than nothing. Detectives do understand limitations of such techniques. Of course DNA exhibit phenotypes, so if it's an opportunity to know the skin color, the shape of the face, the eyes colors, the gender, etc. Pair that with the place where the person was likely born and potential relatives (ancestry) and you may find someone interesting, or who knows something useful.

waffleiron 3y ago
A non peer reviewed, non validated method. I wouldn’t want to be picked up as a suspect because of that, then have the police (lawfully) lie to me about what evidence they have and try to pressure me into confessing.
CogitoCogito 3y ago
> It's imperfect but better than nothing. Is there any evidence supporting this statement? It could very well be _worse_ than nothing.

metaphor 3y ago

https://archive.is/5kXrh https://archive.is/5kXrh https://web.archive.org/web/20240125142841/https://www.wired.com/story/parabon-nanolabs-dna-face-models-police-facial-recognition/ https://web.archive.org/web/20240125142841/https://www.wired...

ars 3y ago

I'd like to see them run a known person's DNA through their system and see what it does. I'm sure the company has done this already, and they should share the results with the police to give them an idea of how reliable the results are. Cops would not be expected to understand the limitations of this otherwise. Although I do give them credit for trying to solve a cold case.

Semaphor 3y ago

13 comments 3 days ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39092994 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39092994 16 comments 2 days ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39106224 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39106224

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

Alifatisk 3y ago

Damm, that’s scary. How do they go fröm DNA to a whole human face though?

crotchfire 3y ago
Parabon NanoLabs ran the suspect’s DNA through its proprietary machine learning model By judicious application of AI grift, basically.
- salawat 3y ago
  The term is "mathwashing".
carbocation 3y ago
See Figure 2 from this PNAS paper from J Craig Venter[1]. It caused quite a stir at the time, and not because people thought it was useful or wise. 1 = https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1711125114 https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1711125114
Denote6737 3y ago
They don't. That's kinda the point. The service takes known genetic markers for things like dark hair, skin tone, bushy eyebrows, freckles. And generates a mockup face with those features.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]