--- title: "Professors Warn That Creeps Might Start Stealing DNA From Celebs For Dark Purposes" description: "The rise of  “genetic paparazzi” is imminent, and courts are poorly ill-equipped to deal with the potential consequences of celebrity DNA theft." date: "2022-06-08" modified: "2022-06-08" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/neoscope/creeps-might-steal-celebrity-dna" categories: - "DNA" - "Gene Editing" - "Genetics" - "Health & Medicine" tags: - "artificial reproduction" - "dna" - "genetics" - "policy" --- # Professors Warn That Creeps Might Start Stealing DNA From Celebs For Dark Purposes ![The rise of  “genetic paparazzi” is imminent, and courts are poorly ill-equipped to deal with the potential consequences of celebrity DNA theft.]() *\Image: Getty Images\* The notoriously murky waters of DNA ethics are about to get even murkier. In an essay [for *The Conversation*](), law professors from Georgia State University and the University of Maryland argue that "genetic paparazzi" could soon be coming after the DNA of public figures, including celebrities and politicians. That could throw the legal system into chaos, they argue — which could be bad news not only for celebrities, but for the general public as well. Between recent innovations in both genetics and reproduction, blurry public interest laws, and the lack of any firm precedent, courts are ill-equipped to deal with the potentially civilization-shifting — not to mention extremely creepy — consequences of celebrity DNA theft. For one, the buying and selling of alleged celebrity mementos is nothing new, from Britney Spears' gum to Justin Timberlake's half-eaten French toast [showing up on eBay](). Some of these items — if they're actually legit — could possibly contain viable genetic material. While those DNA samples may have been of little use to poachers in years past, genetic technologies have come a long way ever since scientists announced they had [sequenced]()[ the entire human genome]() in 2003. And with those breakthroughs come new possibilities for seriously disturbing behavior. Consider [IVG](), a cutting-edge technology that could one day be able to turn non-reproductive cells from nearly any tissue or organ [into sperm or egg cells](). The ramifications, if such a technology were to ever become a reality, are downright creepy. "Imagine being able to produce a child with your favorite movie star using the DNA from a strand of hair or flake of skin," reads a blog post from Georgia State University cited in the *Conversation* essay. "What sounds like the plot to a sci-fi thriller is actually not that far from reality." What precedent does exist doesn't bode well. For instance, in 2018, Madonna [famously lost her bid]() to halt the auction of several personal objects, including DNA-laden items including her hairbrush and underwear. In the *Conversation* essay, the professors argue that courts will likely fit cases involving genetic paparazzi into the legal framework of privacy rights, a "complex web of state and federal regulations governing how information can be acquired, accessed, stored and used." In other words, the US legal system simply doesn't know how to meaningfully recognize the personal right to one's own DNA, a dangerous gap that could leave individuals vulnerable. Filling that gap will become more important than ever as DNA sequencing is further commercialized, and thus more readily available. Who will ensure that our most private biological data won't land in the wrong hands? For now, we'll have to wait and see how courts end up handling cases brought by or against public figures, as they will have [broader implications for the general public](). "When disputes involving genetic theft from public figures inevitably reach the courtroom," the researchers wrote, "judges will need to confront fundamental questions about how genetics relates to personhood and identity, property, health and disease, intellectual property and reproductive rights." **More on questionable DNA ideas:** [*Elon Musk Speculates About Storing All Human DNA In DataBase*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()