Louis Menand has a review of Sarah Igo’s book, ““The Known Citizen” (Harvard) in an upcoming issue of The New Yorker. The review is replete with examples from the book and from the history of our society, including important Supreme Court decisions. On some level, it’s a history of how we may have wound up…
Category: Misc
The secretive Google subsidiary with access to Ancestry’s DNA database
Stuart Leavenworth reports: For DNA testing companies, the genetic code that customers pay to have analysed is a gift that keeps on giving. Not only do these companies profit from DNA analysis, but they stand to make money for decades more marketing people’s data to the highest bidders. Ancestry, which controls a database of more…
DNA testing is like the ‘Wild West’; should it be more tightly regulated?
Stuart Leavenworth reports: Millions of people are doing it. They spit into tubes and get their DNA analyzed. Testing companies are mushrooming, selling products to screen for diseases, connect customers to lost relatives or entertain people with the possibility they share some Neanderthal DNA. Equity firms are pouring fortunes into these companies, not just because…
Mary Meeker’s Annual Internet Report Includes Insights Into Privacy
Calvin Cohen of Covington & Burling writes: This past week, Mary Meeker presented her annual Internet Trends report for 2018 at the Code Conference. A copy of the slide deck is available here. The report is widely respected by industry experts, and this year’s presentation included a number of insights that industry stakeholders will find…