Deep Dive | China's expanding DNA surveillance raises concern

China is getting into the DNA of its citizens now. Speaking exclusively to India Today on the genomic surveillance in China and Tibet, Lobsang Gyatso Sither, the digital security program director at Tibet Action Institute, said, "According to reports by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, the collection of genetic samples has been completed in Tibet Autonomous Region, however, the status of the collection of data in Tibet outside of TAR is not clear. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute report estimates that, since late 2017, authorities across China have sought to collect DNA samples from 5-10 per cent of the country's male population, or roughly 35-70 million people. The police authorities have direct access to the Y-STR database containing biometric samples and DNA information of people across China's patrilineal families. Lobsang Gyatso Sither adds: "The Chinese government has a track record of using any kind of data for repression, censorship and surveillance and as such any collection of data of Tibetans, Uyghurs and even Chinese citizens must be condemned and stopped unless the Chinese government is able to show that they will follow due process and adherence at the very least to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights before collecting such data."