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by zlg_codes 921 days ago
Why do you think people are entitled to have genome data on you? The morality is flipped. Privacy is recognized as a core, natural right. Others have to prove their onus for wanting your biological data. Trusting others is a moral and character weakness, because you have no guarantees as to how that data will be used. Or more specifically, what new ways to analyze and take advantage of that data will become.

I think actuaries will care an awful lot about this data and could use it to negatively influence your risk factor, and thus insurance premiums.
3 comments
dekhn 921 days ago
I think if your prior includes "trusting others is a moral and character weakness" then I don't think it's useful for us to discuss this topic further.

As for actuaries, in the US, the GINA law prevents health insurance companies from using this data. I think legal protection is much more important than attempting to hide my DNA.

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zlg_codes 921 days ago
> I think if your prior includes "trusting others is a moral and character weakness" then I don't think it's useful for us to discuss this topic further.

I agree, if you can't justify trust with reason then it's hard to trust your argument that relies on trust. Trust can be broken, and your stance doesn't address that concern.

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necovek 921 days ago
While I hold privacy in high regard, your standpoint on trust is pretty extreme.

With your own "trust can be broken", you could conclude that you should distrust "with reason" (hey, it was broken) — basically, flipping it is an equally sound stance.

As a rule, I trust people, keep private stuff not easily aggregated (eg. I might talk some stuff over lunch, but will not email it to the person so they have it on record), and I am quick to distrust people once they fail me. Legal protections do matter, because they discourage misuse of unintended data sharing.

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sunnybeetroot 921 days ago
The law could change, allowing the usage of your data without your consent.
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syndacks 921 days ago
Where is it stated exactly that privacy is a core, natural right? Not in the Constitution, though the 4th suggests it. It’s not part of the natural order, I don’t think (most stuff is out in the open). I’m not saying I think privacy is bad or people deserve to have their info out in the open, I just don’t understand why people feel such a right to it, or where governance — natural or man-made — dictates it.
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hot_gril 921 days ago
They could also use it to positively influence my risk factor.
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