I Bet My DNA is Better Than Yours!

November 18, 2007

Fans of television shows like CSI are no strangers to talk about DNA, genetics, and the use of “body matter” as a way to identify people. Science fiction fans have glimpsed into proposed futures were genetics is no longer restricted to labs and university studies. But for the average person walking the globe, deoxyribonucleic acid - DNA - isn’t something that often springs to mind.

That may be close to changing.

A new company called 23andMe is scheduled to launch tomorrow and promises to bring genetics right into our living rooms. How? By giving people the ability to submit DNA samples for analysis. 23andMe will then not only show you how your genes compare to those of your family and ancestors (assuming they also use the service), but it will also give you a glimpse into diseases, conditions, and abilities that your genetic material might predispose you to.

Heck… there are even social networking abilities that let you share your genetic profile with friends… and compare how you stack up against the people you know.

Ya know… on a nuclear level.

Duncan Riley at TechCrunch makes an accurate comparison in saying this company is reminiscent of the future portrayed in the movie Gattaca.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7OYCmynrRU[/youtube]

And while 23andMe isn’t yet to the point of transforming our world into the genetically perfect, bigoted Gattaca-verse, it is no doubt a preamble to the possibility of such a future. Of course there’s no guarantee that anything so radical will occur. But there’s a little thing about human nature that some folks seem to be forgetting:

When you put new technologies and abilities like this into the hands of the masses, someone will find a way to exploit it.

What would stop companies or organizations from requiring a 23andMe test as part of hiring practices? Or genetic profiles from becoming part of the dating process? Since the company is Internet-based, what would prevent me from sending in someone else’s genetic material for testing?

To top it all off, the company was founded by the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Google has officially invested almost $4 million into the company. It’s not technically a Google company, of course. But you can imagine the possibilities of the two joining forces:

“Sure honey… we’ll let your search engine index our genetic profiles”
Instead of just web, image, blog, and news searches, we’ll also have the ability to search genetic profiles
“I Google’d your profile and I don’t think I want to waste my time getting involved with someone who’s predisposed to diabetes.”
“This guy’s profile says he’s related to Hitler. I think we’ll pass and hire the other candidate.”

Ok… maybe I’m stretching it a bit. Or am I?

Is it time to start protesting and chasing the company with pitchforks and torches? Of course not. I imagine there are a lot of folks out there who would be interested in their genetic profiles. Hell… I’d be one of them. There are other companies who are no doubt doing the same thing. And at a grand a pop, the company’s service isn’t yet to the point of mass adoption… yet. But 23andMe’s plan is to just that - to make genetics “personal”. As with any new technology, it’s expensive now… but given time, I have no doubt we’ll see affordable genetic profiling sooner rather than later.

What do you think?

Is this kind of genetic information simply a natural progression of scientific discovery? Is it something that should be made available to anyone who wants it? Does the company’s connection to Google - whose mission is to index all of the world’s information - effect your view of 23andMe? Would you plunk down $1000 to get a genetic snapshot of yourself?

Does it bother you that such a service is less than 12 hours away from becoming a reality? I’m still on the fence myself. But I do know one thing:

This service will be abused. The company may think it has systems in place to prevent exploitation. But just you wait and see. There are smart, devious people out there who will find ways to take advantage of it.

I guess it’s time we start paying closer attention to where we leave our DNA laying around. Haha.

Category Posted in Human Nature, In the News, Technology