Largely unrelated but MPEG of mp3 fame has just released MPEG-G, a compressed file format for genomic data. Predictably, it's on track to be saddled with patents. Imagine needing proprietary software to view your own genomic data - or for your new doctor to not have the software to read it! Here's one take worth reading on it: <a href="http://datageekdom.blogspot.com/2018/09/mpeg-g-ugly.html?m=1" rel="nofollow">http://datageekdom.blogspot.com/2018/09/mpeg-g-ugly.html?m=1</a><p>Also there's already a compressed data format called CRAM for this that has some traction and for which MPEG conveniently failed to compare itself to in their paper.
I recommend anyone interested in genome exploits to watch this talk at DEFCON by John Sotos[1] about why you should be very hesitant in giving away your DNA.<p>[1] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKQDSgBHPfY" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKQDSgBHPfY</a>
See also previous discussion about this topic from 12 hours ago:<p><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18195827" rel="nofollow">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18195827</a> (60 comments)
>New techniques ... may soon make the anonymity of their customers’ DNA impossible to safeguard<p>I strongly disagree.<p>>He suggested it might be wise to encrypt genetic data to protect personal information.<p>Maybe we can encrypt DNA molecules themselves!
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