Privacy Is In Jeopardy Since So Many People Have Had Their DNA Sequenced

Though everyone’s DNA sequence is unique, it might not be individual enough for those who wish to maintain their genetic privacy.

A new study argues that more than half of Americans could be identified by name if all you had was a sample of their DNA and a few basic facts, including where they live and about how old they are. It would not be simple or cheap, but it is doable, and that fact alone has experts rethinking the meaning of privacy in the DNA age.

The researchers behind the study say that once three million Americans have uploaded their genomes to public genealogy websites, nearly everyone in the U.S. would be identifiable by their DNA alone and a few clues. At this point, more than one million Americans have already published their genetic information, and dozens more do so every day.