In March 2024, Emile Dirks, research associate at The Citizen Lab, along with Ausma Bernot (Griffith University), and Yves Moreau (University of Leuven) prepared a written submission in response to the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights call for input on the application of digital technologies in the administration of justice.
In their submission, Dirks, Bernot, and Moreau raise concerns regarding the ethical and human rights implications of widespread DNA collection and analysis by law enforcement agencies. They highlight issues such as indiscriminate data collection by law enforcement, the use of genetic genealogy databases without consent, and the lack of independent oversight and transparency into the application of new forensic DNA tools as central to these concerns.
Drawing on the evidence presented, the submission urges UN member states to implement stronger oversight , transparency, and protections for genetic data.
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