Your Family can expose Your DNA

Last week, one of the nation's most prolific serial killers was caught, more than 40 years after he began his reign of terror in California. But the way he was caught has raised some privacy concerns.

Police used a genealogy database to catch the man known as the "Golden State Killer." Privacy attorney Joel Winston told CBS the problem is the killer did not submit his DNA to that database.

"Currently, some federal laws protect your genetic information from insurance companies and from employers as well as credit companies, but it's not guaranteed in the future."

If you're not a serial killer you might say "so what?" But Winston says there are things you might not want an employer or an insurer to know.

"The problem is that even if you protect your private information it might be one of your family members that gives away your private information or possibly if you've taken one of these DNA test kits you may have already given away the privacy of your great, great grandchildren."

Winston told CBS there are some laws that protect against sharing genetic information, but it's not guaranteed.

Winston says you don't have to be a killer to worry about privacy.


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