DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data • Hacker News Board

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#41

Post by cyberpunk » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 12:35 PM UTC

csomar wrote: post #34

st-keller wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sad state of affairs - this is so messed up. No trust anywhere! I’m senior Software Architect in Germany and some years ago we built an app that handles highly confidential tax-related data. And we did everything to stick to the highest standards: Strong encryption, distribution of keys and data into different datacenter operated by different companies, protocols of deletion of data, implementing every aspect of DSGV…

> When I tell customers that we cannot read and really delete their data - they straight up accuse me of lying! I'd accuse you too. If you can't read their data, then the data doesn't exist? Also, if you can't read read their data, how are the customers seeing it on their dashboard?

Row level encryption, yes it’s possible to break the glass but it’s code changes and that sort of thing is noticed by the org and would be reported on.

In the automotive space we are leaning heavily on confidential computing primitives to make it actually impossible, for example keys generated entirely inside enclaves and only attested software can run on those etc etc.

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#42

Post by trogdor » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 1:53 PM UTC

InitialLastName wrote: post #23

smt88 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it doesn't. We don't have DNA from 100 or even 50 years ago. These genetic tests are essentially geographical. For example, there are tens of millions of people in Africa and Latin America who unknowingly have mixed ancestry and will be labeled in the data set as being "from X country." That will mean the dataset thinks European genes might indicate Latin American descent or vice versa.

I think their point with "Ancestry by descent" is that tracing your ancestry through birth/death records is pretty reliable (relative to your noted imprecision with genetic testing).

Not always. For example, my birth certificate has my father’s name on it. I am in my 30’s, and it was only a few months ago that I learned that I was conceived via IVF, and that my biological father was a sperm donor.

In my case, my mother told me. But I could have also learned that from a DNA test. (Which I have since taken. As a result, I now know the identity of my biological father.)

It is not uncommon for DNA tests to reveal misattributed parentage — something you could almost-never learn from records-based genealogical research.

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#43

Post by bossyTeacher » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 3:10 PM UTC

waste_monk wrote: post #19

yeetusus wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

tfw all your immediate relatives did the test even after you explicitly told them not to

That's why I swallow a pinch of cobalt-60 every day, to make sure my DNA is unrecognizable to adversaries.

isn't cobalt-60 radioactive?

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#44

Post by bossyTeacher » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 3:18 PM UTC

csomar wrote: post #35

0_____0 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I found out my nationality by looking at the front of my passport.

I think he meant ethnicity.

Did he? People change ethnicity over time so the ethnicity of your ancestors isn't necessarily the same as yours. I am always curious as to what people being by ethnicity. Maybe ethnic ancestry would be a better way of putting it as that's what those tests would get you a glimpse of

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#45

Post by bossyTeacher » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 3:37 PM UTC

smt88 wrote: post #15

Buttons840 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With ancestry and similar sites you can probably learn your origin down to the street address of your great great great grandparents.

My ex has a doctorate in genetics (specifically studying evolution through genetic data) and described such tests as "genetic astrology" because of limitations in the data.

That is what I always suspected as the lack of genetic data is an obvious issue.

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#46

Post by bossyTeacher » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 3:45 PM UTC

optionalsquid wrote: post #39

smt88 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it doesn't. We don't have DNA from 100 or even 50 years ago. These genetic tests are essentially geographical. For example, there are tens of millions of people in Africa and Latin America who unknowingly have mixed ancestry and will be labeled in the data set as being "from X country." That will mean the dataset thinks European genes might indicate Latin American descent or vice versa.

But we do have "DNA from 100 or even 50 years ago". In fact, we have DNA from much, much longer ago. Ancient DNA as a field is heavily invested in exploring past human populations, so there quite a lot of data available at this point

But we probably don't have DNA from 100 years ago from most of the human population though. And that's the problem with these tests. You kinda need that if you are offering a commercial product to everyone

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#47

Post by financetechbro » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 3:52 PM UTC

bossyTeacher wrote: post #43

waste_monk wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's why I swallow a pinch of cobalt-60 every day, to make sure my DNA is unrecognizable to adversaries.

isn't cobalt-60 radioactive?

I believe that is the point

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#48

Post by dekhn » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 6:03 PM UTC

smt88 wrote: post #36

dekhn wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My doctorate is in biophysics with deep experience in genomics. I've attended talks from the world's leading experts (as well as scientists/researchers/engineers) who work in this field, and read papers. From my inspection of the data, identity by descent does exactly what the researchers say, with a level of accuracy that is consistent with our current understanding of population structure and its changes in the pas…

We seem to be talking past each other. You're saying it's possible to accurately determine how closely related individuals (and even groups) are. I agree. But you can't determine where those individuals' ancestors lived at any given time unless you also have historical data. Land does not imprint upon DNA. So these companies can tell me that I have many distant cousins in, say, Brazil and Portugal, and we can make an…

Land definitely imprints on DNA (in genomic time intervals). I don't think people using IBD are claiming they can explain the fine structure of population movements. I didn't claim it, it seems unique to your contributions to this thread.

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#49

Post by InitialLastName » Tue, Nov 19, 2024, 11:56 PM UTC

trogdor wrote: post #42

InitialLastName wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think their point with "Ancestry by descent" is that tracing your ancestry through birth/death records is pretty reliable (relative to your noted imprecision with genetic testing).

Not always. For example, my birth certificate has my father’s name on it. I am in my 30’s, and it was only a few months ago that I learned that I was conceived via IVF, and that my biological father was a sperm donor. In my case, my mother told me. But I could have also learned that from a DNA test. (Which I have since taken. As a result, I now know the identity of my biological father.) It is not uncommon for DNA te…

Which bit of ancestry means more to who you are?

Re: DNA testing company vanishes along with its customers' genetic data

#50

Post by analog31 » Wed, Nov 20, 2024, 12:09 AM UTC

csomar wrote: post #35

0_____0 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I found out my nationality by looking at the front of my passport.

I think he meant ethnicity.

Actually I wasn't thinking much about the distinction. People seem to want some kind of assurance about their identity. Also why they take personality tests.

People get DNA tests for their dogs.