The Conversation

If you've given your DNA to a DNA database, US police may now have access to it

Author: Jane Tiller, Ethical, Legal & Social Adviser - Public Health Genomics, Monash University

DNA database giant Ancestry lets members access international records including the convict and free settler lists, passenger lists, Australian and New Zealand electoral rolls and military records.Patrick Alexander/Flickr, CC BY

In the past week, news has spread of a Florida judge’s decision to grant a warrant allowing police to search one of...

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The Conversation

Sustainable Erosion Control Strategies for Australia's Environment
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George Frey/EPAAs a food waste researcher, I’m interested in how humans prepare food…
With everyone stuck indoors, esports is poised for its time in the sun
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Open or else face funding cut – Minister Tehan's edict to independent schools
Education Minister Dan Tehan has warned non-government schools that if they fail to open f…
Australia's coronavirus debate turns to the way out
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Coronavirus: what causes a 'second wave' of disease outbreak, and could we see this in Australia?
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What to do if you've been fined for breaching coronavirus restrictions
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The coronavirus lockdown might help limit this year's flu season – but you should still get your flu jab anyway
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Easter eggs can bring a little 'normality' to kids in isolation. But should we ration them or let kids eat…
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Scientific modelling is steering our response to coronavirus. But what is scientific modelling?
As they released the modelling of the COVID-19 pandemic behind Australia’s social is…
Teachers could be called on to estimate year 12 student grades – this is fairer than it sounds
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Personalities that thrive in isolation and what we can all learn from time alone
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The psychology of lockdown suggests sticking to rules gets harder the longer it continues
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Most laws ignore ‘human-wildlife conflict’. This makes us vulnerable to pandemics
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From the bushfires to coronavirus, our old 'normal' is gone forever. So what's next?
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Great time to try: cleaning the house (while fitting in a workout)
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Vital Signs: a lesson from game theory the coronavirus contrarians ignore
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Pell decision: why sexual offence trials often result in acquittal, even with credible witnesses
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Pandemic policing needs to be done with the public's trust, not confusion
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As use of digital platforms surges, we'll need stronger global efforts to protect human rights online
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Without international students, Australia's universities will downsize – and some might collapse altogether
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Does JK Rowling's breathing technique cure the coronavirus? No, it could help spread it
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Should everyone be wearing face masks? It's complicated
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The coronavirus ban on elective surgeries might show us many people can avoid going under the knife
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Time well spent, not wasted: video games are boosting well-being during the coronavirus lockdown
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I'm an asthmatic: what should I do during the coronavirus pandemic?
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What governments can do about the increase in family violence due to coronavirus
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Where the wild things are: how nature might respond as coronavirus keeps humans indoors
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Rents can and should be reduced or suspended for the coronavirus pandemic
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We're not all in this together. Messages about social distancing need the right cultural fit
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Yes, we're flattening the coronavirus curve but modelling needs to inform how we start easing restrictions
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Courts are moving to video during coronavirus, but research shows it's hard to get a fair trial remotely
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Now we're in lockdown, how can we get out? 4 scenarios to prevent a second wave
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Indonesia was in denial over coronavirus. Now it may be facing a looming disaster
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Lack of help for local councils in coronavirus package undercuts industry support
The Warrick Lane redevelopment is a major construction project overseen by local governmen…
50 years of bold predictions about remote work: it isn't all about technology
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Scott Morrison indicates 'eliminating' COVID-19 would come at too high a cost
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No, 5G radiation doesn't cause or spread the coronavirus. Saying it does is destructive
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The jury may be out on the jury system after George Pell's successful appeal
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Open letter to the prime minister: extend coronavirus support to temporary workers
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Head lice drug Ivermectin is being tested as a possible coronavirus treatment, but that's no reason to buy it
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Great time to try: 5½ ways to make movie masterpieces at home
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During the Great Depression, many newspapers betrayed their readers. Some are doing it again now
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Can I visit my boyfriend or my parents? Go fishing or bushwalking? Coronavirus rules in Western Australia
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Young people are anxious about coronavirus. Political leaders need to talk with them, not at them
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This lizard lays eggs and gives live birth. We think it's undergoing a major evolutionary transition
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Thanks to coronavirus, Scott Morrison will become a significant prime minister
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Friday essay: mom jeans and nostalgia in a time of uncertainty
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Automatic doors: the simple technology that could help stop coronavirus spreading
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Vital Signs: Scott Morrison is steering in the right direction, but we're going to need a bigger boat
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Democracy 2025 - How does Australia compare: what makes a leading democracy? With Michelle Grattan, Mark Evans and Ian Chubb
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Morrison has rescued childcare from COVID-19 collapse – but the details are still murky
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Who can get tested for coronavirus?
To control the spread of COVID-19 we need to identify as many people with the virus as pos…
1 in 10 children affected by bushfires is Indigenous. We've been ignoring them for too long
The catastrophic bushfire season is officially over, but governments, agencies and communi…