As stated clearly before, the bee genome has not turned out to be the asset
anyone thought it would become.

While human medical advances of value have resulted, the common consensus is
that "DNA data is the new oil".
So, a warning about your own genome:

> "When we started 23andMe we had dreams of being able 
>  to transform the world of healthcare, research and therapeutic 
> discovery by empowering individuals with genetic information."

The problem with "23andMe" and the various copycats is that it provides the
paying customer mere vague guesses of very limited value, in return for
one's DNA, which is the ultimate security breach, not just for the fool who
paid for the horoscope-quality information, but for his/her relatives out to
at least the first-cousin distance.  You are paying for the "service", but
your DNA is the actual product, sold to who knows who, for who knows what.
You would do yourself less damage by tattooing your social security number
and date of birth on your forehead.

No surprise, China is building a very substantial database of DNA, including
having a substantial investment in the "23andMe" company, which concerns
many respected OpSec professionals.  So much so, that the US Navy flatly
ordered ("advised" is a oft-used term which should be read as "don't heed
our advice, and just find out what happens to your career") all ranks, all
civilian employees, and all contractors to refrain from using these services
back in 2014:
https://www.public.navy.mil/bupers-npc/reference/messages/Documents/NAVADMIN
S/NAV2020/NAV20015.txt
http://tinyurl.com/5xc6nxon

Apparently the Army has to repeat itself, and be far kinder and gentler...
they issued this updated reminder just last year:
https://www.army.mil/article/232314/osd_advises_service_members_against_usin
g_dtc_genetic_testing
https://tinyurl.com/55atzrhh

There are many detailed warnings to the general public, too:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dna-genealogy-privacy-60-minutes-2021-01-31/
http://tinyurl.com/r47hd4i2

The "law enforcement" applications cited in a prior post are perhaps among
the most frightening for most people, as misapplications, errors, and false
positives are cropping up often enough to no longer be "news" any more.
Many beekeepers travel extensively, and leave a wide swath of DNA behind
them in places that might easily later become crime scenes.
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/03/forensics-gone-wrong-when-dna-snares
-innocent
http://tinyurl.com/4dhjop5o

One might call such concerns "paranoia", but I call it "basic situational
awareness". 

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