23andMe

Your DNA falls into the realm of "the world's information," and it seems that Google (GOOG), as part of its corporate mission, is making a play to organize that, too. The Internet giant received heavy press in 2007 when it invested at least $4.4 million (BusinessWeek.com, 11/29/07) in a genetic screening company, 23andMe, that was started by Anne Wojcicki, the wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and her business partner.

n January, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, movers and shakers lined up to spit into test tubes -- the first step to having snippets of their DNA analyzed by 23andMe, a personalized gene-testing company that for $999 promises to help people "search and explore their genomes.

A company called 23andme.com launched last week and got wads of media attention for being the first user-friendly Web site devoted to home genomics tests and analysis. For just $1,000, the company will take a swab of your cheek, sequence your genome, and tell you a bunch of things about how you fit into the Family of Humanity. They'll also allegedly give you nifty details about yourself, such as whether you have athletic abilities or a propensity for disease.

The exploration of the human genome has long been relegated to scientists in research laboratories. But that is about to change. An infant industry is capitalizing on the plunging cost of genetic testing technology to offer people unprecedented - and unmediated - entree to their own DNA. For as little as $1,000 and a saliva sample, anyone will be able to sign up to learn what is known about how the billions of bits in their biological code shape who they are. Three companies have already announced plans to market such services.

According to consumer watchdog Privacy International, Google conducts "comprehensive surveillance" and embodies an "entrenched hostility to privacy." Microsoft, though a little less invasive, is still Microsoft. What do they have in common? Both want you to trust them with your DNA.