Debate: Supreme Court OKs Unfettered DNA Collection — An Invasion of Privacy or a Blow to Crime?

2013-06-05T21:09:57.115Z

In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the police can collect DNA samples from people they arrest even before they are convicted of a crime. Supporters of the swabbing method call it "the fingerprinting of the 21st century" that will help nab criminals and break open unsolved cases. But privacy advocates say the ruling is vague because it does not define what constitutes a "serious crime," and could create an incentive for police to make more arrests. The Supreme Court's 5-to-4 ruling will likely fuel an expansion of DNA swabbing nationwide. We host a debate between Michael Risher of the American Civil Liberties Union and Mai Fernandez of the National Center for Victims of Crime.

"We do support the decision, and the reason for that is that so many lives are going to be saved" Fernandez says. "If we can know ahead of time before somebody is going to commit a grievous act, who a person is through their DNA by their DNA being in the system and the arrest allows us to have that in the system, we can A: find cold cases that haven't been solved; and B: prevent other heinous crimes from happening like murder and rape."

Risher disagrees: "This is a general rummaging through our genetic blueprint to look for evidence of unknown, completely unrelated crimes, with no reason to think that the person who has been arrested for maybe a minor offense has maybe committed any other crime. It's an incredible broadening of the government's authority to stick its fingers into our body, seize our bodily tissues, seize our DNA profile and put it into an enormous criminal database with no suspicion that it is going to uncover any crime."

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CISPA Critics: Cybersecurity Act Will Increase Domestic Surveillance, Violate Privacy Rights

2012-04-26T18:02:48.525Z

DemocracyNow.org - As it heads toward a House vote, critics say the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) would allow private internet companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft to hand over troves of confidential customer records and communications to the National Security Agency, FBI and Department of Homeland Security, effectively legalizing a secret domestic surveillance program already run by the NSA. Backers say the measure is needed to help private firms crackdown on foreign entities — including the Chinese and Russian governments — committing online economic espionage. The bill has faced widespread opposition from online privacy advocates and even the Obama administration, which has threatened a veto. We speak with Michelle Richardson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union.

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Published on Apr 26, 2012 by democracynow

All Videos Tagged Privacy (True Skool Network) - True Skool Network

Debate: Supreme Court OKs Unfettered DNA Collection — An Invasion of Privacy or a Blow to Crime?

CISPA Critics: Cybersecurity Act Will Increase Domestic Surveillance, Violate Privacy Rights