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muriel_volestrangler

(102,693 posts)
2. The standard (in 2020) was that genealogy databases couldn't be used like that; the criminal database worked about 20%
Wed Jun 5, 2024, 10:51 AM
Jun 2024

of the time.

23andMe, AncestryDNA and MyHeritage do not allow law enforcement use of their databases without a warrant. FamilyTreeDNA offers an ‘opt-out from law enforcement matching’ possibility, and all European users are automatically opted out in line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Contributors to GEDmatch, which allows law enforcement use of ‘public’ profiles with permission in serious cases, must actively opt in to law enforcement matching.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-genetic-genealogy-techniques-to-assist-with-solving-crimes/should-we-be-making-use-of-genetic-genealogy-to-assist-in-solving-crime-a-report-on-the-feasibility-of-such-methods-in-the-uk-accessible-version

That GDPR regulation started before the UK left the EU, and still applies, as far as I know.

Familial searching has been used in the UK for serious crimes since 2003. The technique uses standard STR-based DNA profiles and ranks the likelihood of a familial relationship between an unknown individual who has left DNA at a crime scene and individuals on the National DNA Database. This technique can only identify parents, children or siblings and the success rate is around 20%.

I don't know if this would be classed as a "serious" crime - perhaps so now, since they've done it 3 times, and (the last time at least) leaving the baby in a highly vulnerable state.

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