This New Craze Could Be Using Biological Information Against You

The information obtained from DNA testing firms might be used to create bioweapons that target specific American groups or even specific people, a member of the House Intelligence Committee warned.

During a Friday appearance at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Colorado, noted that many Americans are far too willing to give up their DNA information to private companies.

“You can’t have a discussion about this without talking about privacy and the protection of commercial data because expectations of privacy have degraded over the last 20 years,” said Crow. “Young folks actually have very little expectation of privacy, that’s what the polling and the data show.”

“People will very rapidly spit into a cup and send it to 23andMe and get really interesting data about their background,” he added.

Then, Crow, a former Army Ranger, contended that after a private corporation collects a person’s DNA, it can then be sold. The company 23andMe has consistently denied ever selling the user data it collects.

Sen. Joni Ernst, who was also present at the meeting, noted that American foes might employ the same technology to target cattle and crops in an effort to cause famine.

Crow and Ernst issued warnings on the same day that they expressed concern about the accessibility of low-cost, military-capable drones and China and Russia’s growing use of AI.

Crow added that moral and ethical considerations, which he acknowledged many of the United States’ adversaries are not concerned with, must also be taken into account in U.S. study on drone technology.