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As we move closer to an era when a sequence of every human genome is the norm, an important question looms: who will own this data? It seems intuitive to many of us that each person owns his or her genetic data and therefore should control access. But the reality is more complex.
Consider any number of analogies: cell phone data, credit card data, email information. You have a sense of ownership for all of that, right? But it's hard to make the case that you truly own it when Verizon Wireless, American Express, or Google has more control than you do over account access, data storage, and which other parties get to see your information. (Ahem, NSA.)
The concept of data ownership is so contentious in part because of its nature. Data moves, it morphs, and most of us can't even say where it lives. ("The cloud" is not an answer.) For people who grew up thinking that possession is nine-tenths of the law, data is too slippery to fit into the usual framework.
Throw in the...