5 ms·

The DHS has been harvesting DNA from Americans for years

128 points by righthand 1y ago

ChrisArchitect 1y ago
Earlier: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45353800 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45353800
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
reaperducer 1y ago
I liked the world better when the tinfoil hat people were wrong.
- slackfan 1y ago
  So back before we came out of the trees?
- sschueller 1y ago
  The irony is that they didn't force people to give their DNA (except if you were arrested) but instead people willingly gave it and even paid for it. If you think Bill Gates is going to implant a chip in your brain via a COVID vaccine you are mistaken. Once such tech exists (if ever) people will be lining up in queues and pay a lot of money to get it implanted.
  - reaperducer 1y ago
    The irony is that they didn't force people to give their DNA (except if you were arrested) but instead people willingly gave it and even paid for it. You and I must have read different articles. The one being discussed here is about American citizens, who are not under arrest, being compelled to give cheek swabs as a condition of re-entering their own country.
- hn_throw_250924 1y ago
  [flagged]
- add-sub-mul-div 1y ago
  This isn't a conspiracy, this just a law enforcement practice that people might not like and sounds scary enough to make for an inflammatory headline.
  - codedokode 1y ago
    Treating everyone as a potential criminal and collecting their DNA and fingerprints is not normal practice. Fingerprints are collected only from criminals or suspects.
  - fnordpiglet 1y ago
    Except it clearly states that you’re not allowed to submit DNA for civil statute enforcement or no reason at all by law, so it’s not just a law enforcement practice. It’s an illegal law enforcement practice.
OptionOfT 1y ago
https://archive.ph/ov4RV https://archive.ph/ov4RV
pfdietz 1y ago
Have they ever encouraged people to submit DNA samples in order to identify criminal relatives? I could see this going over well with the law-and-order part of the population.
- timcobb 1y ago
  This is a great call, these folks aren't devious or clever enough to understand that they can just ask...
  - pfdietz 1y ago
    Even more devious would be "submit DNA samples and we'll give you immunity from paternity lawsuits", since concerns over that might inhibit some.
    - potato3732842 1y ago
      Nobody who needs protection from a paternity lawsuit would fall for it.
      - IAmBroom 1y ago
        Oh, my sweet summer child. Have you met any teenage boys? Or most philandering men?
        decremental 1y ago
        [dead]
- IAmBroom 1y ago
  A murderer was caught because he was semi-closely (2nd-cousin) related to my cousin. Her DNA was a loose match to evidence. They found out she is The Geneologist for our family, and asked her to help... Boom, found him.
- Workaccount2 1y ago
yegle 1y ago
California is ahead of the curve: DNA of every baby born in California is stored. Who has access to it? - CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-biobank-dna-babies-who-has-access/#:~:text=With%20nearly%20500%2C000%20births%20a,the%20Newborn%20Screening%20Test%20itself. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-biobank-dna-babies-w...
- SilverElfin 1y ago
  That is terrible and dystopian. Even if they claim to honor deletion how would you know? It may be resold already or in backups or wherever.
- righthand 1y ago
  Frightening and has convinced me why people are moving away.
  - 01HNNWZ0MV43FF 1y ago
    Tough call between the big state with NIMBYs and surveillance, or the big state where they want me to use the men's bathroom and the cops will give you hell for fleeing the state to get an abortion
  - Rebelgecko 1y ago
    I would suspect that if you polled people moving between states, DNA collection wouldn't even make the top 20 reasons
  - b00ty4breakfast 1y ago
    yeah, that's why people are fleeing the state that bursts into literal flames every year or two
- sellmesoap 1y ago
  I remember a friend of a friend describing being arrested for putting a peace protest flyer on a public bulletin board in Australia (protesting the second gulf war) and having a DNA sample taken at that time.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
y-c-o-m-b 1y ago
Seems to be one of those issues like NSA mass surveillance, which transcends party lines and remains supported by most politicians. Kudos to my senator Ron Wyden though, he's been a true champion of opposing both of those things.
caprock 1y ago
The X-Files was right all along

128 points by righthand 1y ago

ChrisArchitect 1y ago

Earlier: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45353800 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45353800

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

reaperducer 1y ago

I liked the world better when the tinfoil hat people were wrong.

slackfan 1y ago
So back before we came out of the trees?
sschueller 1y ago
The irony is that they didn't force people to give their DNA (except if you were arrested) but instead people willingly gave it and even paid for it. If you think Bill Gates is going to implant a chip in your brain via a COVID vaccine you are mistaken. Once such tech exists (if ever) people will be lining up in queues and pay a lot of money to get it implanted.
- reaperducer 1y ago
  The irony is that they didn't force people to give their DNA (except if you were arrested) but instead people willingly gave it and even paid for it. You and I must have read different articles. The one being discussed here is about American citizens, who are not under arrest, being compelled to give cheek swabs as a condition of re-entering their own country.
hn_throw_250924 1y ago
[flagged]
add-sub-mul-div 1y ago
This isn't a conspiracy, this just a law enforcement practice that people might not like and sounds scary enough to make for an inflammatory headline.
- codedokode 1y ago
  Treating everyone as a potential criminal and collecting their DNA and fingerprints is not normal practice. Fingerprints are collected only from criminals or suspects.
- fnordpiglet 1y ago
  Except it clearly states that you’re not allowed to submit DNA for civil statute enforcement or no reason at all by law, so it’s not just a law enforcement practice. It’s an illegal law enforcement practice.

OptionOfT 1y ago

https://archive.ph/ov4RV https://archive.ph/ov4RV

pfdietz 1y ago

Have they ever encouraged people to submit DNA samples in order to identify criminal relatives? I could see this going over well with the law-and-order part of the population.

timcobb 1y ago
This is a great call, these folks aren't devious or clever enough to understand that they can just ask...
- pfdietz 1y ago
  Even more devious would be "submit DNA samples and we'll give you immunity from paternity lawsuits", since concerns over that might inhibit some.
  - potato3732842 1y ago
    Nobody who needs protection from a paternity lawsuit would fall for it.
    - IAmBroom 1y ago
      Oh, my sweet summer child. Have you met any teenage boys? Or most philandering men?
      - decremental 1y ago
        [dead]
IAmBroom 1y ago
A murderer was caught because he was semi-closely (2nd-cousin) related to my cousin. Her DNA was a loose match to evidence. They found out she is The Geneologist for our family, and asked her to help... Boom, found him.
Workaccount2 1y ago

yegle 1y ago

California is ahead of the curve: DNA of every baby born in California is stored. Who has access to it? - CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-biobank-dna-babies-who-has-access/#:~:text=With%20nearly%20500%2C000%20births%20a,the%20Newborn%20Screening%20Test%20itself. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-biobank-dna-babies-w...

SilverElfin 1y ago
That is terrible and dystopian. Even if they claim to honor deletion how would you know? It may be resold already or in backups or wherever.
righthand 1y ago
Frightening and has convinced me why people are moving away.
- 01HNNWZ0MV43FF 1y ago
  Tough call between the big state with NIMBYs and surveillance, or the big state where they want me to use the men's bathroom and the cops will give you hell for fleeing the state to get an abortion
- Rebelgecko 1y ago
  I would suspect that if you polled people moving between states, DNA collection wouldn't even make the top 20 reasons
- b00ty4breakfast 1y ago
  yeah, that's why people are fleeing the state that bursts into literal flames every year or two
sellmesoap 1y ago
I remember a friend of a friend describing being arrested for putting a peace protest flyer on a public bulletin board in Australia (protesting the second gulf war) and having a DNA sample taken at that time.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

y-c-o-m-b 1y ago

Seems to be one of those issues like NSA mass surveillance, which transcends party lines and remains supported by most politicians. Kudos to my senator Ron Wyden though, he's been a true champion of opposing both of those things.

caprock 1y ago

The X-Files was right all along