[ransom1538]

"I'd imagine the major intelligence agencies have already started their own genetic databases, right?"

The gig is up.

It's a law felons give their DNA in some jurisdictions. Felons have families. Felons have great grand mothers. Felons have 2nd cousins. There are 6.1 million felons. I'd image the US is pretty much mapped out by now.

https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/mandatory-dna...

[reaperducer]

Not just felons. Everybody.

Some police agencies (NYC, for example) collect DNA samples on arrest. And if you're found not guilty, the arrest was wrong, or whatever, they still keep the DNA forever. [1]

But it's not like they conduct knock-and-spit dragnets. Oh, wait... [2]

Even worse is that social service agencies do it. Don't be born in California, because the fact that you suddenly exist means the state gets your DNA. [3]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/16/nyregion/newyorktoday/nyp...

https://www.newsweek.com/police-dna-database-nypd-swab-testi...

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/05/08/california-biob...

[devmunchies]

I'm able to refuse the state/hospital in California to take blood samples, right?

[Lammy]

No, if you try to refuse you get another misdemeanor charge while they wait for a judge to sign the form compelling you to give a sample

[devmunchies]

How utterly depressing. Land of of free.

[dsfyu404ed]

A desire to control people for mostly petty reasons in order to better society or some such is what led us here. You know what they say about the road to hell.

[mistersquid]

> I'm able to refuse the state/hospital in California to take blood samples, right?

As sibling asserts, no you may not refuse. However:

> State law requires that parents are informed of their right to request the child’s sample be destroyed, but the state does not confirm parents actually get that information before storing or selling their child’s DNA. [0]

[0] https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/05/08/california-biob...

[daddylonglegs]

> "I'd imagine the major intelligence agencies have already started their own genetic databases, right?"

> The gig is up.

Absolutely. Also the Pentagon has another excellent source: It stores DNA fingerprinting for US armed forces personnel (so as to identify the remains of MIA/ KIA soldiers). If you could get your hands on that it would probably help fill in the family trees of people involved in intelligence work - I think it is fairly common for extended families to have lots of people working in defence and intelligence.

Presumably the Chinese can combine the family trees from these DNA databases with information from scraping Facebook/ LinkedIn etc and data from the Office of Personnel Management breach. IMO they should be able to connect DNA samples to people in the US very effectively, the DNA will map to a person or a few people and the Chinese will know the work - including intelligence work for the US government - that those people do. So, for example, if they pick a suspicious USB key or document they can take the skin cells of those who handled the object and identify them.

[TomK32]

Not just felons, also everyone who works for a government under a fake identity like undercover agents and spies. Just think of cartels tapping into that resource and checking out new recruits: "So, how come you DNA shows you are the son of a cop, have an aunt at the DEA and a brother at the Sherrif's office?"

[jacquesm]

I wrote about that; old thread from long ago:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3722982

Unfortunately felons don't get a say in the matter but the rest of us do.