The rise in rapid DNA testing technology has caused many people to express concerns about the privacy implications that this technology will have. “Unlike traditional DNA testing, which takes at least two days and requires processing at a laboratory, new and portable rapid DNA devices can give quick results anywhere in under two hours, since agents simply insert a “tagged” cheek swab into the microwave-sized machine.” This article discusses how law enforcement officials at both the state and federal level are considering using this type of technology. There is currently legislation that “would allow profiles collected by rapid DNA devices in the field to be connected to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS.” This type of technology is also going to have a major impact on estate planning when people are trying to determine the identities of heirs and beneficiaries.
See Ava Kofman, The Troubling Rise of Rapid DNA Testing, The New Republic, February 24, 2016.
