SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When I was in about fifth grade, my elementary school held an event where the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office came and talked to us about … something. I’m sure it was crime- and safety-related. There may have been a grown man sweating inside a McGruff the Crime Dog costume; I don’t really remember, to be honest.
What I do remember is getting fingerprinted.
At age 10, I happily handed over my unique genetic information to be stored somewhere in the county’s vaults forevermore. It’s a decision I’ve often regretted, not because I wish to commit a crime, but because our right to privacy has been eroding ever since — usually under the guise of safety or technological advances.
