Since 1970’s technology Gurus and visionaries predicted an “office of the future” – a <keyword id="670346" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paperless-office">paperless office</keyword>, however, despite the slew of technology advancements in the field of electronic communication and record keeping, the business world still heavily relies on the generation and exchange of paper to consummate business transactions and to run the day-to-day business operations. Our Government is now driving “Digital India” with a great vision and vigor, and the key question is: When will the paperless office become a reality for you and me?<br />
<br /> Our offices are still stacked with papers, research estimates that in large enterprises on an average <keyword id="195748" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="office-worker">office worker</keyword> uses over 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year (which is around a tree per worker). This means a lot of important information about the business is documented on paper, this poses information security risks besides siphoning off employee and business productivity. . Although reliance on paper contracting is significant, it is obvious to most astute business observers that digitizing business processes enhances the ability of an organization to achieve business goals. Information is the life source of business and finding ways to cut down on wasted time filing and searching for documents will ultimately increase collaboration and workplace productivity. Also, one of the crucial objectives of transforming into an e-office or paperless office is to clear the files without delay increasing speed to market and reducing the time taken for documenting the work. By exchanging information electronically with vendors and customers, a business can make information quickly accessible -- and conversely more private and secure through the use of encryption, passwords and other security measures. At the same time, a company can create more room and reduce off-site storage costs.<br />
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Then why aren’t the businesses taking any steps to paperless office? It is obvious that there exist barriers between digital and print. There are instances in which paper is genuinely difficult to replicate digitally, or it may be the preferred method from a client or vendor perspective. Though it is difficult to completely eliminate the use of paper, but there can be ways to print less and become a paper-light office which will help is boosting productivity as a result.<br />
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If you look at enterprises today, each year improper document management costs them millions of dollars in liability, reduced efficiency and lost productivity. These costs will only increase in future with expansion in business operations. Thankfully, workflow automation and document management can play a critical role. The disruptive force of new technologies within this space are opening up opportunities to change behavior in today’s workplace, allowing businesses to strive for a more efficient, productive, collaborative and sustainable world of work.<br />
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How we get work done is changing just as rapidly, driven by cloud access, mobility, social media, virtual collaboration and other digital technologies.<br />
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According to a recent Quocirca study, 72 percent of organizations indicated that they are planning to increase their digitization efforts. New innovations have significantly changed the ways of the past. With faster, more sophisticated technology and a mobile-centric workforce, businesses can readily welcome the transformation of paper-based documents to electronic files.<br />
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The next wave of technology advancement in the sphere of Document Management focuses on Digitization. Digital Transformation is NOT JUST replacing analog processes with digital processes through the use of digital technology (e.g., digitizing paperwork in an existing process).<br />
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<strong>Here are three ways document management technology will assist you in this evolution:</strong><br />
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<strong>Analyze document workflows:</strong> When embarking on a transformational journey, the first step is to take stock of the current situation and understand how current work environment operates. Assessment of current state can spread wide and go deep, covering your office print infrastructure, understanding a documents journey through a business process, understanding the workers pain areas in executing such workflows and managing documents etc. Once the current state is available, an organization -- while keeping cognizance of their strategy and business environment -- can know exactly which workflows or printing services could be the transformation targets.<br />
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A lot of paper is generated by printing from digital sources and from incoming communications. Let’s consider analyzing workplace hardware, including print and document workflow, for insight into how assets are used throughout the office, for a complete assessment we also need to understand the processes and users expectations. By analyzing how and why devices are used by employees within an office, companies can revamp and optimize processes to help increase efficiencies. It’s also essential for employees to look at their own work behaviors and fine-tune old habits in order to drive the necessary change from the ground up.<br />
<br /> It may not be easy to understand one’s own (print) behavior and even more difficult to change it. Being a though leader, <keyword id="6490330" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Xerox">Xerox</keyword> understands such nuances and has come up with some innovative means to assist such changes. Xerox uses gamification to motivate workers for printing more efficiently, Xerox’s Print Awareness Tool monitors and analyzes print history and wasteful habits. Using gamification technology, employees can voluntarily track how their efforts support company-wide print reduction and print smarter goals.<br />
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<strong>Automate business processes:</strong> As output of the assessment, we now know which process needs to be transformed. Paper-based business processes are complicated and expensive. When a company can cut down on paper-based documents for core business processes, savings can be dramatic -- not only in terms of cost, but also productivity and security of enterprise information.<br />
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Xerox researchers wanted to understand what are the core reasons driving Print or use of paper in workflows, and found that people print/use paper at work to read, annotate, share, sign/authorize or save. In pursuit of a paper light office, one can look at solutions that enable workers to perform these tasks while removing the physical paper from the process.<br />
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Xerox’s Digital Alternatives is a simple desktop and mobile assistant technology that automates paper-based workflows that exist within any large organization. Users can easily sign, annotate, share, save and read documents from one interface, eliminating the need to print documents, convert files or toggle between different programs and digital versions — a time-saving and efficiency gain. Digital Alternatives can also integrate with document management systems like DocuShare and electronic signature applications like DocuSign.<br />
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<strong>Intelligent Capture:</strong> Journey to a paper light office has multiple facets, with the above two approaches we understood how we can look at moving from paper to digital within the office, however, organizations today send and receive a lot of information in form of paper based documents (remember besides printing inside office, a lot of inbound documents are in form of paper?). So while we are preparing internal processes for a digital transformation, how do we enable digital inputs to these processes? Intelligent Capture is the answer.<br />
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Getting legacy content into enterprise systems and processes is one of the biggest obstacles to digital transformation. Intelligent Capture Services provides a scalable and flexible platform for accomplishing this. From basic walk-up MFP scanning, to process-governed intelligent capture, to mobile capture and fax scanning, Intelligent Capture Services reduces paper use in general office applications, helping remove cost from all areas of operations. It also provides easier access to digital technology and automates processes for greater organizational agility and provides multi-format and consistent capture and access to digital material.<br />
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Intelligent Capture leverages Xerox Managed Print Services (MPS) capabilities and the distributed scanning capacity of MFPs to deliver a fully integrated solution. It includes advanced capabilities like intake normalization, OCR and document conversion, data extraction and validation, metadata addition, and integration with repositories and business process applications.<br />
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With change comes risks and unknowns that can be disruptive; but businesses that take on the challenge have much to gain and move one step closer to a more digital, paper-less work environment envisioned decades ago.<br />
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Printing less isn’t just about using less paper – it’s about working smarter, improving productivity, connecting with clients faster and using data to bolster business.<br />
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<em>(Image Credits: Thinkstock)</em><br />
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<em>(<strong>About the Author:</strong> This article has been contributed by Abhishek Sarda, GM Marketing - Global Document Outsourcing at <keyword id="183354" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Xerox-India">Xerox India</keyword>.)</em><br />
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<font face="Times New Roman, serif">Road to Paper Light Office</font>

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If you thought tax troubles ended with the financial year, you are wrong. As per the Indian Income Tax Laws, you have to file your taxes before 31st July. Although traditionally most people avail the services of professionals like Chartered Accountant, it is relatively easy to do it online. Below is a quick guide on how to electronically submit your income tax returns.<br />
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<strong>Step 1: Create a profile</strong><br /> Just like any other online service, you have to simply follow the registration process and create your user log in. Visit the <keyword id="3520748" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="income-tax-website">Income Tax website</keyword> <a href="http://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/">https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in</a> and click on ‘Register Yourself’, which will prompt you to fill your personal details.<br />
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<strong>Step 2: Download Form 26AS</strong><br />
You will be surprised how much of your salary or income details are already in the system thanks to your PAN number. Look for form 26AS that summarizes the TDS, Advance Tax, Self Assessment Tax paid in your name or against your PAN number.<br />
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<strong>Step 3: Income Tax return form</strong><br />
Next, download the Income Tax Return form. Individuals earning salary income / pension; or individuals having one house property income; or individuals having income from other sources (excluding lottery income and income from race horses) should download ITR1. However, if you have income from more than one house property, capital gains or are an ordinary resident having assets abroad or claiming tax treaty benefit, download ITR-2. Carefully fill the form with basic details; including your name, PAN, complete address, date of birth, email ID, mobile number, and residential status. You will also have to mention details of income earned and deductions claimed under various sections. You may refer to your Form 16 (summary of your income and deduction details as reported by your employer) and Form 26AS for income and deduction details. You should also add any other income or investment that you’ve not reported to your employer. Lastly enter the details of tax deducted by the employer and other deductors and self-assessment / advance tax paid, if any, and furnish your bank details for receiving any refund amount.<br />
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<strong>Step 4: Confirm your details and calculate</strong><br />
It is very important to click on the ‘Validate’ button on all the sheets to ensure that all the details have been recorded. The sheet will automatically prompt you to fill in the missing details. If you have filled all the fields, click on ‘Calculate Tax’ to see your total income tax for the financial year. If there is no additional payable tax, save the form as an .xml file.<br />
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<strong>Step 5: Submit the income tax return</strong><br />
Now log in to your income tax account and upload your tax return statement along with your name and assessment rear. You will receive an ITR-Verification form confirming your details and submission via email. Earlier you were expected to sign the ITR-V receipt and post it to the IT office in Bangalore for acknowledgement, if you did not have a digital signature. However, since last year the e-filing process has gone fully paperless. Simply link your Aadhar Card at the time of registration to avoid mailing your form this process.<br />
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<strong>Step 6: Check the ITR-V receipt status</strong><br />
On receipt of the signed ITR-V, the Income Tax Department will send an email acknowledging the receipt of ITR-V to the e-mail ID mentioned in the tax return. You will also receive an SMS on your mobile number acknowledging the receipt of tax return.<br />
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This article was brought to you by <a href="http://www.bigdecisions.com/tax-planning?utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=howtofiletaxesonline">Big Decisions</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.taxchopper2001.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Tax-Return.jpg"><em>Image source</em></a><br />

File your taxes online in six easy steps

<p class="source"><span>Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Just because a mentor has more years under their belt than you doesn't mean they're right about everything.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>As an entrepreneur, it's smart to ask others who are more experienced for nuggets of wisdom - right?</li><li>Well, these nine founders actually decided to ignore the advice they received from mentors, investors, and advisors, and it turned out for the best in all their cases.</li><li>Some common pieces of wisdom they debunked included being too young to start a successful business out of school and not being profitable enough while focusing on sustainable products.</li><li>They also proved that you don't need VC money to grow or have to say yes to every opportunity that comes your way.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories.</a></li></ul><p>As a startup founder, it's common wisdom to seek advice from mentors, advisors, and those who've been down the entrepreneurial path before. After all, if you're completely new to the scene, they're likely to know more - or better - than you, right?</p><p>But what if their input is, well, wrong?</p><p>Here's one example. </p><p>Ask any retail brand in 2020 about their marketing strategy, and you'll likely hear <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-leverage-influencer-marketing-small-business">"influencer marketing"</a> as a key component. At present, <a href="https://www.bigcommerce.com/blog/influencer-marketing-statistics/#what-is-influencer-marketing">85% of marketers</a> spend more than $1,000 annually on partnering with influencers, with <a href="https://mediakix.com/influencer-marketing-resources/influencer-marketing-industry-statistics-survey-benchmarks/">89% saying</a> that this kind of marketing performs better than or comparable to other channels, Mediakix reported in its 2019 "Influencer Marketing Survey." </p><p>But that wasn't always the case. Fashion designer <a href="https://www.rebeccaminkoff.com/">Rebecca Minkoff</a> told Business Insider that, during the dawn of the Instagram era in 2010 and 2011 when she started to engage with customers, influencers, and bloggers online, she was advised by many of the most prominent retailers in the world not to. "[They were] being touted as D-list celebs at the time when that industry was starting to take off," she added. Wanting to maintain a more exclusive brand image, some even threatened to stop carrying her lines if she continued. </p><p class="source"><span>Rebecca Minkoff</span></p><p class="caption">Rebecca Minkoff.</p><p>Spoiler alert: She didn't listen. "And it has been <em>the</em> reason for our successes and the boilerplate for tons of other brands to see growth," said Minkoff, whose company <a href="https://www.luxurydaily.com/rebecca-minkoff-sees-100pc-spring-shoe-sale-growth-due-to-instagram-founder/">saw 100% growth in shoe sales</a> after her 2012 "Shoe of the Day" Instagram campaign and reported more than <a href="https://fortune.com/40-under-40/2014/rebecca-minkoff-26/">$100 million in annual sales</a> in 2014. "It is now considered the absolute norm."</p><p>How do you know what advice to follow and which to ignore? Here, eight other founders share the advice they bucked and the success they've seen as a result.</p><h1>'Raise money as soon as you can'</h1><p>When Allison Esposito Medina founded <a href="http://www.hiretechladies.com">Tech Ladies</a>, a community for women in tech and companies that want to hire them, "Everyone [I told about the launch] told me that the only way to build a real company was to raise millions of dollars in venture capital. They said this was necessary to scale, grow, and have product-market fit," she recalled. </p><p class="source"><span>Allison Esposito Medina</span></p><p class="caption">Allison Esposito Medina.</p><p>She instead chose to bootstrap her business, charging companies to hire from the community and charging members to be part of a more intimate group within Tech Ladies.</p><p>"What we do - growing a real, dedicated community of women in tech - doesn't need to blitzscale in that way," she explained.</p><p>Without VC funding, Esposito Medina shared, TechLadies has gained 100,000 members, helped more than 1,500 companies hire tech talent, and seen 40% year-over-year revenue growth since its founding in 2016.</p><p>"It's hard to say what may have happened with venture capital, but I've seen startups overspend on marketing budgets and do things that don't get them the right customers," she said. </p><p>Abigail Cook Stone, founder of design-forward candle brand <a href="http://www.otherland.com">Otherland</a>, agrees. She knows the ins and outs of venture capital - she was an associate at <a href="https://www.foundercollective.com/">Founder Collective</a>, a seed-stage fund, and a partner at <a href="https://www.dormroomfund.com/">Dorm Room Fund</a>, First Round Capital's student-run fund - but when it came to launching her own startup, she eschewed advice to raise money right away. She knew her business wasn't ready for the inevitable expectations that venture capital comes with. </p><p class="source"><span>Otherland</span></p><p class="caption">Abigail Cook Stone.</p><p>"While the typical direct-to-consumer brand path is to raise venture capital from the get-go, it's not the only route," she explained. "I encourage early-stage startups to try to avoid venture capital early on, and wait until the right moment when you're ready for venture scale, pace, and growth expectations."</p><p>For her, that was a <a href="https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/otherland#section-overview">$2.7 million seed round</a> she raised two years after launch, when the company had seen product-market fit and was planning expansion.</p><h1>'People won't care about sustainable products'</h1><p>Social and environmental responsibility matters to consumers today, with <a href="https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2018/global-consumers-seek-companies-that-care-about-environmental-issues/">one study</a> conducted by Nielsen in 2018 showing that 81% of respondents across the globe feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment, and <a href="https://engageforgood.com/guides/statistics-every-cause-marketer-should-know/">another by Shelton Group</a> showing that 86% of consumers believe that companies should take a stand for social issues.</p><p>But that's not what siblings Reem Rahim and Ahmed Rahim heard when they founded <a href="https://numitea.com/">Numi Organic Tea</a>, a line of organic, fair trade teas, in 1999.</p><p>"We were told that if we chose to start a business driven by ethical sourcing and a commitment to environmental responsibility, we would not achieve success," Reem Rahim recalled. "We were told that … we would forfeit profitability" as compared to traditional, profit-at-all-costs models.</p><p class="source"><span>Reem Rahim Hassani</span></p><p class="caption">Reem Rahim Hassani.</p><p>Profitability wasn't their sole driving factor, so they forged ahead and built a social enterprise.</p><p>"[We] were deeply invested in creating a company that was ethical, environmentally responsible, and a force for positive change in the world," Reem Rahim explained. Numi is now classified as a <a href="https://bcorporation.net/about-b-corps">B Corporation</a>, a for-profit corporation that meets rigorous social and environmental standards.</p><p>And they've seen the success that matters to them. Business success, yes - their teas are distributed in more than 50 countries - but the company has also contributed more than $1 million in projects in its farming communities, sponsored projects like hospitals and schools, and developed innovative sustainable packaging. It's also been named to the "<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/06/12/1520514/0/en/Sustainable-Business-Pioneer-Numi-Organic-Tea-Honored-on-B-Lab-s-Best-for-the-World-List-for-Third-Straight-Year.html">Best for the World" list</a>, an award given to B Corps with outstanding positive impact scores for over four years.</p><p>"By staying true to our core values, we've been able to thrive as a company, and find recognition far and wide for our achievements," shared Rahim.</p><h1>'Don't start a business straight out of undergrad'</h1><p>After graduating from college, Sophia Edelstein had a job offer at a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-management-consulting-job-mckinsey-bcg-bain-accenture">top consulting firm</a> but was also contemplating starting her own company. When running the decision by mentors and colleagues, she said she was told that "it was too risky to start a business straight out of undergrad" and "a recent college graduate would have no idea how to begin running a business."</p><p>She had, in fact, already begun - she had raised a small financing round from Silicon Valley investors and convinced a former head of product from Warby Parker, Lee Zaro, to join the team. And she decided to keep going, ultimately launching <a href="https://paireyewear.com/">PAIR Eyewear</a>, an online retailer of children's eyeglasses. </p><p class="source"><span>Sophia Edelstein</span></p><p class="caption">Sophia Edelstein.</p><p>While she felt "unnerved" by the concerns she received, "I also knew that the only way to learn how to run a business was by actually doing it," she explained.</p><p>That's not to say that she thought she could do it all alone. "I began PAIR with the philosophy that early on I would try to recognize exactly where we needed expert guidance and experience and try to recruit those folks to join our team," she said.</p><p>At present, PAIR now has more than $3 million in venture funding and thousands of kids wearing its glasses - and will also be featured on the upcoming season of "Shark Tank." </p><h1>'Say yes to every opportunity that comes your way'</h1><p>Aishwarya Iyer described her company <a href="https://brightland.co/">Brightland</a> as a "kitchen essentials brand that was founded to celebrate a traceable supply chain, thoughtful design, and California living." Launched in 2018, the company's signature product is a line of extra virgin olive oils, harvested by a master miller in a certified organic mill. </p><p>In other words, everything about the company is infused with thought and care. So, when Iyer was starting out, she said there was one piece of advice she received from the entrepreneurial community that didn't sit right: "You are a small startup, so you should just hustle and say yes to everything that comes your way."</p><p class="source"><span>Aishwarya Iyer</span></p><p class="caption">Aishwarya Iyer.</p><p>Instead, she explained, "whenever we were approached by potential partners, retailers, etc., we always took a step back to assess whether they were aligned with our core brand DNA. It's very easy to get caught up in the noise, and we really focused on what made sense for us as a brand." </p><p>This meant saying no to a few tempting opportunities early on - such as a retail agreement with a national food company that didn't align with Brightland's values. But ultimately that was the right call.</p><p>"Months later, other better, more aligned opportunities arose that would not have, had we gone down the road of saying yes," she said. One of those partnerships? A collaboration with <a href="https://www.sweetgreen.com/">sweetgreen</a>, selling a <a href="https://order.sweetgreen.com/culver-city-the-lab/20384-sg-x-brightland-olive-oil">specialty olive oil</a> in the brand's retail outposts. </p><h1>'Don't try to offer too much to customers'</h1><p>When Beatrice Dixon founded plant-powered feminine care company <a href="http://www.thehoneypot.co">The Honey Pot Company</a> in 2014, she had a vision for offering women a suite of products to meet all of their needs, from healthy washes and natural wipes to clean cotton tampons. But friends and potential investors alike told her that, as a small company, she should focus on creating and launching just one product, rather than investing in too many, too quickly.  </p><p>"I had a gut instinct that my customers wanted more than just one product," she recalled. "I also knew as a woman that feminine care is an entire ecosystem of offerings."</p><p>Of course, as an early-stage company, it's hard to do everything at once. So she got creative. Shortly after launch, "I decided to offer third-party vendors who made other feminine care products that were complementary to my washes, and the customers went crazy over them," she explained. "We doubled our revenue online when we offered [these] additional products."</p><p class="source"><span>Ron Hill</span></p><p class="caption">Beatrice Dixon.</p><p>Eventually, The Honey Pot Company phased out those third-party products and now manufactures everything itself - which has brought even more success. </p><p>"The biggest win was Target reached out to us in 2016 because of our diverse range of offerings and became our first national big-box retailer," she said, noting that the company has tripled revenue since 2018.</p><p>She's taken this lesson to heart by continuing to evolve the company. "We continue to develop new products that we know our customers need and desire," she shared. </p><h1>'You should spend a lot on marketing to attract clients'</h1><p>Paulina Karpis founded the professional development community <a href="https://brunchwork.com/">brunchwork</a> out of a personal need - she wanted education that would help her succeed at work, but the investment and time commitment of an MBA didn't seem worth it. So she built a company that helps professionals in key US cities learn from the tech leaders of today, monetized by a subscription model for individuals and companies.</p><p>Analyzing what she wanted personally was her approach to marketing, too. Experts were telling her to spend money on digital ads, she remembered: When she started the company in 2016, "most consumer-facing brands raised VC capital and pumped those dollars into Facebook, Instagram, or banner ads," she shared. But, she continued, "When I analyzed my own spending habits, I realized that I only tried products that were either recommended by someone in my social circle or someone I admired. I ignored all digital ads."</p><p class="source"><span>Paulina Karpis</span></p><p class="caption">Paulina Karpis.</p><p>So that's the approach she took - she didn't raise money and instead focused on creating an exceptional experience for members, figuring that, if done well, members would tell their friends.</p><p>"We still don't spend on [that type of] digital marketing - our members love the program and content so much that they share with their social circles," she said.</p><p>brunchwork also has a content platform and sends regular emails to engage the community, as well as constantly updates its programming based on feedback. "As a small team, we were highly receptive to our members' needs and feedback, and could iterate quickly," she explained.<strong>  </strong></p><p>It's worked - since Karpis turned brunchwork from a side hustle to her full-time gig in 2018, the company has expanded from New York to two other cities, recently launched a weekend clubhouse, and is "flooded with requests to open more cities," said Karpis.  </p><h1>'You need a network - cold outreach doesn't work'</h1><p>When Rachel Renock left her job as an agency creative director to found the tech startup <a href="https://www.wethos.co/">Wethos</a>, the network she had built in her previous career didn't exactly translate, especially as a young woman and first-time founder.</p><p>This, many in the startup world told her, was a problem. "I received a lot of advice that cold outreach to investors was a dead end," she said. </p><p class="source"><span>Rachel Renock</span></p><p class="caption">Rachel Renock.</p><p>But she tried anyway. "I made it my job to get in front of 117 target funds, and ultimately raised a $1.1 million seed round from folks that had been complete strangers to us only six months prior," she stated. </p><p>Things have only continued to build from there. "With the validation of our seed round and angel investors like Fabio Rosati (the former CEO of Upwork), our cold outreach approach to out-of-network contacts has led to a total of $4.6 million in venture funding to date."</p><p>The company, which builds teams of marketing and creative experts for brands, nonprofits, and political campaigns, has 18 full-time employees and more than 4,500 freelancers in all 50 US states.</p><p>Now, Renock makes sure to pay it forward. "Knowing how difficult it is for emerging founders to navigate the tech jargon and 'invite only' atmosphere of venture capital, I've ignored related advice to keep my contacts and playbook close to my chest," she explained. "I carve out time each month to transparently share tools, templates, and strategies with folks from underrepresented backgrounds who are just starting their fundraising journey." </p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-yellow-school-buses-still-look-same-2020-2">School bus design hasn't dramatically changed in decades - but that's actually not a problem</a></h3>

9 women entrepreneurs share the business advice they received when they were starting out that they decided to ignore - and why doing so ultimately lead to their success

<p class="source"><span>SL Liang/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">If you have dependents relying on your income, you probably need life insurance. A company like Bestow can help you get it.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong><a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Bestow</a> is an online life insurance company that provides <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-term-life-insurance">term life insurance</a> plans covering people for two, 10, or 20 years.</strong></li><li><strong>Bestow's two-year policy stands out as one of the brand's unique offerings. Usually life insurance policies last for a decade or more, but the two-year policies (starting at $3 a month for coverage up to $500,000) aren't available elsewhere.</strong></li><li><strong>These two-year plans are a good fit for people who are in transitional phases, like a student, a stay-at-home parent who plans to return to work, someone switching jobs, or just someone who isn't sure of their life insurance needs for the long term but doesn't want to go without coverage while they decide.</strong></li><li><strong>Because <a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Bestow</a> is an online company, it's a simple sign-up process for extremely affordable life insurance.</strong></li><li><strong>However, Bestow does not offer more than $1 million in life insurance coverage, and not everyone will qualify for coverage. Bestow only insures people ages 21 to 55.</strong></li><li><a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Learn more about Bestow to get life insurance in minutes »</a></li></ul><p>If you have dependents - others who rely on your income, whether that's children, a spouse, or aging parents - you probably need life insurance. The good news is that with the rise of online life insurance companies, it's not nearly as hard as it sounds to get hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars in life insurance to protect your family should you die unexpectedly. </p><p>Bestow is one of those companies.</p><h2>What is <a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Bestow</a>?</h2><p>Bestow is an online life insurance company whose mission is "helping people protect their people." Technically, it's an insurance agent, meaning it's the link between customers and the insurance carrier North American Company for Life and Health Insurance.</p><p>Bestow offers term life insurance plans that are valid for a specific period of time. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-does-term-life-insurance-work">Term life insurance</a>, as opposed to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-the-difference-between-term-and-whole-life-insurance">whole or permanent life insurance</a>, is the type generally recommended by experts for people in most financial situations. Term life covers the policyholder for only the pre-determined period of time, and then expires after, say, 30 years, when the policyholder might no longer have dependents. Because the value expires, term life insurance <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-adviser-why-buy-term-life-insurance">is much cheaper than whole life insurance</a>, and the rate and payout are fixed: You'll pay the same amount every month throughout the entire policy, and your death benefit won't change over time.</p><p>It's standard when getting life insurance to undergo a medical check-up, but with <a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Bestow</a> (like with some other online life insurance companies), there are no medical visits required. Instead, the company asks you about your health and lifestyle and uses predictive models to get information about your health and wellness. It also provides customer support, advice from licensed life insurance agents, and the ability to cancel your plan at any time. </p><h2>Who needs life insurance?</h2><p>Let's face it: Life insurance isn't exactly something people love to talk about, but it's an important part of a comprehensive financial plan. Life insurance provides a lump sum of money to your chosen beneficiaries (in most cases, your spouse or children) upon your death. This money can cover the cost of the funeral, help cover loss of your income, or <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-get-life-insurance-you-havent-thought-of-yet">pay any of your outstanding debts</a>. </p><p>Anyone who has dependents - others relying on their income, whether that's children, a non-working spouse, or aging parents - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-get-life-insurance-you-havent-thought-of-yet">probably needs life insurance</a>.</p><h2>How much does Bestow life insurance cost?</h2><p><a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Bestow</a> offers two types of life insurance plans: 10 and 20-year plans, and more unusual two-year plans (more on those below). The cost of these plans will vary by person based not only on how long they last, but also factors like your age, smoking status, and weight. Note that Bestow offers 20-year terms to people ages 21 to 45, and 10-year or two-year terms to people ages 21 to 55.</p><p>Both plans allow you to cancel any time, without paying any fees. You can apply for a plan in a matter of minutes and get approved quickly. </p><h3>10 and 20-year plans start at $8 per month</h3><p>Its 10 and 20-year term life insurance plans start at <strong>$8 per month</strong> for up to <strong>$1 million in coverage</strong>. </p><p>Under the 10 and 20-year terms, you can get affordable coverage for your family and protect your financial life for the long term. You'll pay the least amount per month if you're young and healthy. The price can go up with an increase in age and any medical issues. </p><p>This is a good plan if:</p><ul><li style="font-weight: 400;">You have a family and are the breadwinner</li><li style="font-weight: 400;">You have dependents - other people relying on your income to live</li><li style="font-weight: 400;">You have large debt where a loss of income would be catastrophic </li><li style="font-weight: 400;">You're young and healthy, and want to lock in a low rate for the long term</li><li style="font-weight: 400;">You want up to $1 million in coverage</li></ul><h3>2 years of coverage starts at $3 per month</h3><p>The two-year life insurance plan starts at <strong>$3 per month</strong> for <strong>coverage up to $500,000</strong>. According to Bestow, this plan is the easiest to get approved for and has the fastest application. It is designed for people in transition or people who'd like to be covered for a longer period of time but are not sure they qualify.</p><p>This is a good plan if:</p><ul><li>You're in school or navigating a job transition</li><li>You're a freelancer or stay-at-home parent who might be in a different situation relatively soon</li><li>You're unsure about making a long-term financial commitment to life insurance</li><li>You want to buy yourself more time while you think about what you really need before you commit to longer-term coverage</li><li>You need no more than $500,000 in coverage</li></ul><h2>Why use Bestow?</h2><p>Life insurance is a serious decision, and there plenty of companies that can help you get it. Here are the primary pros and cons for using <a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Bestow</a> for your life insurance needs: </p><p>Pros:</p><ul><li style="font-weight: 400;">Bestow's main standout feature is the two-year term offering, an option you don't see with other insurance agents</li><li style="font-weight: 400;">Since Bestow only offers term life insurance, the monthly premium is low, making life insurance very affordable (although rates will vary by person)</li><li style="font-weight: 400;">There are no medical visits required, so this may be a good option for those who are doctor-averse</li><li style="font-weight: 400;">It's easy to apply online without a phone call or meetings</li></ul><p>Cons:</p><ul><li style="font-weight: 400;">Not everyone will qualify for life insurance - although this isn't unique to Bestow. If you can't qualify for coverage through Bestow, it recommends comparing more coverage options through insurance comparison site <a href="https://policygenius.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=110&amp;aff_id=1592&amp;redirect_slug=businessinsider-life" rel="nofollow">Policygenius</a>. </li><li style="font-weight: 400;">Compared to other online life insurance companies, Bestow has a lower maximum coverage amount of $1 million. For example, with Haven Life, you can get coverage for up to $3 million. With <a href="https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1404301&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=77846&amp;urllink=&amp;afftrack=" rel="nofollow">Fabric</a>, you can get coverage up to $5 million. </li></ul><h2>How to apply for life insurance with Bestow</h2><p>If you think <a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Bestow</a> is the right life insurance for you, you can apply online quickly. Here's how it works:</p><h3>1. Start with some basic information to get a quote</h3><p>You'll input your gender, birth date, height, weight, and state you live in, as well as whether you currently use any nicotine products. </p><p class="source"><span><a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9">Bestow</a></span></p><h3>2. Get a quote for your monthly premium</h3><p>I input my information as an example. I'm mid-30s and height and weight proportional. I don't smoke, and my prospective rate is $22.50 a month for a $500,000 policy with a 20-year term. </p><p class="source"><span><a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9">Bestow</a></span></p><h3>3. Create an account with an email and password</h3><p>This is exactly as easy as you'd expect.</p><h3>4. Answer 7 questions about your health</h3><p>After that, you'll answer a quick seven-question survey about your health. The questions are about rapid weight loss, HIV status, disability payments, and depression, to determine whether there are any health conditions that affect you now and could affect you in the long term. </p><h3>5. Answer 10 questions about your lifestyle</h3><p>Then you'll answer a 10-question lifestyle survey. You'll be asked if you're a US citizen, where you were born, if you're traveling more than 30 days to another country, your employment type and income, and info about your driver's license.</p><h3>6. Provide your Social Security number and sign</h3><p>After that, you'll be asked to provide your Social Security Number and digital signature. You'll be able to review your application before submitting. After, you'll verify your ID. Then, there's the underwriting process for approval. Here's what my final offer looked like:</p><p class="source"><span><a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9">Bestow</a></span></p><p>The final number was about $17 a month more than my initial quote, once I filled out the in-depth survey. Your physical and mental health history may affect your final rate.</p><p>Overall, <a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9">Bestow</a> can be a good option for those who want to navigate a life transition with a short-term two-year plan or for those who prioritize convenience and no doctor visits. Just make sure that the maximum coverage works for your needs, and consider getting quotes from other insurers to find the most affordable coverage for you.</p><h3><a href="https://bestow.sjv.io/GBVe9" rel="nofollow">Learn more about Bestow »</a></h3><ul class="read-more-links"><li>More <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yourmoney">personal finance</a> coverage</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-open-high-yield-savings-account-now-interest-rates-down">4 reasons to open a high-yield savings account while interest rates are down </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-open-wealthfront-cash-account-savings">It took less than 10 minutes to open a high-yield cash account with Wealthfront and earn more on my savings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-buy-a-house-with-no-money-down-home-loans">How to buy a house with no money down </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-save-money-in-high-yield-savings">When to save money in high-yield savings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-rewards-credit-cards">Best rewards credit cards</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-get-life-insurance-you-havent-thought-of-yet">7 reasons you may need life insurance, even if you think you don't</a></li></ul><p style="font-size:14px;"><em>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Personal Finance Insider team. We occasionally highlight financial products and services that can help you make smarter decisions with your money. We do not give investment advice or encourage you to adopt a certain investment strategy. What you decide to do with your money is up to you. If you take action based on one of our recommendations, we get a small share of the revenue from our commerce partners. This does not influence whether we feature a financial product or service. We operate independently from our advertising sales team.<em></em></em></p><em><em>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-is-it-called-black-friday-2017-11">The true story behind the name 'Black Friday' is much darker than you may have thought</a></h3>                                </em></em>

Online life insurance company Bestow offers competitive pricing, for 2 to 20 years at a time. Here's how it works and what to expect.

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>On Thursday, Apple filed <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-vacate-request-shooter-iphone-2016-2">a legal response to the court order</a> directing it to build a back door on a terrorist's iPhone for the FBI.<p>The filing includes testimony from&#xa0;Erik Neuenschwander, manager of user privacy at Apple.</p><p>It's the best look Apple has provided at what it would have to do on a technical basis to give the FBI access to the encrypted data on Syed Farook's iPhone 5C.&#xa0;</p><p>Apple CEO Tim Cook called what the FBI wants the "software equivalent of cancer."&#xa0;<span>Neuenschwander, who says he would be the head of the project if Apple ends up losing the case, calls this custom software "GovtOS."</span></p><p><span>If the FBI wins, here's what Apple would have to do:&#xa0;</span></p><h3>GovtOS would run in RAM and would "not modify the operating system on the actual phone."&#xa0;</h3><p>To recap: the FBI wants custom software that would both bypass the "erase data" function - which wipes the phone after 10 missed passcodes attempts - and enable the FBI to plug in passcodes electronically as opposed to manually.</p><p>According to&#xa0;<span>Neuenschwander, this software would not actually replace the original OS, but instead would operate in the phone's temporary memory.&#xa0;</span></p><h3><strong>GovtOS would need to be cryptographically signed by Apple &#xa0;- which means that Apple needs to include a&#xa0;closely-guarded&#xa0;code that tells the device it's a "legitimate Apple Product."&#xa0;</strong></h3><p>The cryptographic signature is something only Apple could do - while there is code that bypass the iPhone lockscreen out in the wild, modern iPhones won't accept them unless they're signed by Apple itself.&#xa0;</p><h3><strong>Apple</strong>&#xa0;believes GovtOS would require "between six and 10 Apple engineers and employees" working for a month.&#xa0;</h3><p><span>Neuenschwander&#xa0;isn't sure how long creating GovtOS would take, although he estimates it could take between two and four weeks.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span>This group he would need to build GovtOS would include "two&#xa0;engineers from Apple's core operating system group, a quality assurance engineer, a&#xa0;project manager, and either a document writer or a tool writer."</span></p><p><span>Of course, Apple couldn't trust new employees to perform these tasks.&#xa0;</span></p><h3><span><span>Apple wouldn't be able to just&#xa0;remove a few lines of codes from an existing version of iOS. GovtOS&#xa0;would require extensive work and testing, especially to implement the demand that it needs to be able to input passcodes electronically.&#xa0;</span></span></h3><p><span><span><span>Neuenschwander says that GovtOS would require a "communications protocol that would also have to be designed."</span></span></span></p><p><span><span>Plus, as every engineer knows, after building the software, Apple would need to prepare detailed documentation &#xa0;- basically, a user manual &#xa0;- for the FBI.&#xa0;</span></span></p><h3><strong>Neuenschwander points out the entire development process would be documented and might eventually become public record because Apple could be challenged in court.</strong></h3><p>Given Apple's penchant for secrecy, having its development processes in the public record is a undesirable possibility.&#xa0;Apple also argues that even if GovtOS was deleted forever, the records of how it was created, which likely would be included as evidence, would act as a "roadmap to Apple's methodology."</p><h3>Apple would do a rigorous&#xa0;quality assurance testing process to ensure that "GovtOS functions as required by the government's request."</h3><p>A bug could&#xa0;be significantly more catastrophic than an iTunes glitch:&#xa0;Apple points out that if it screws up in the construction of GovtOS, damage to the encrypted data on Farook's iPhone could be irreversible.&#xa0;</p><h3><span><span><span><span><span>Neuenschwander</span> says that the installation of GovtOS onto Farook's iPhone will "need to be done at an Apple facility."&#xa0;</span></span></span></span></h3><p><span><span>The FBI also wants Apple to install GovtOS on Farook's iPhone.&#xa0;</span></span></p><p>&#xa0;The justification Neuenschwander provides is that GovtOS is not intended to run on devices out in the wild, and if they simply handed the code over to the government, the government would be the institution&#xa0;in charge of making sure the code&#xa0;never gets out into the wild.</p><p>Remember the federal government has had digital security issues in the past, such as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-opm-breachs-cybersecurity-paradox-2015-6">the OPM breach</a>.&#xa0;</p><h3>If Apple started to receive multiple valid government requests to repeat the GovtOS development process, then the "burden on Apple will increase significantly."</h3><p>In the event that the&#xa0;FBI finishes brute-forcing passcodes on Farook's iPhone, Apple would restart the device so GovtOS would be wiped from its memory.&#xa0;</p><p>But if the San Bernardino case becomes precedent, then Apple would need to repeat the development and QA process for each request that will likely follow on this case's heels, or figure out a way to store and keep secure the code that comprises GovtOS.&#xa0;</p><p>That possibility is one of the key reasons why Apple is fighting this case with such vigor.&#xa0;</p><p>Here's the full Apple motion to dismiss filed on Thursday:</p><p><div><p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;">   <a title="View Apple motion to vacate on Scribd" href="https://www.scribd.com/doc/300531225/Apple-motion-to-vacate" style="text-decoration: underline;">Apple motion to vacate</a></p></div></p><p class="embed-spacer">&#xa0;</p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>&#xa0;</p><p>&#xa0;</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hoverbike-half-helicopter-half-motorcycle-2016-2">The Hoverbike is the future of personal flight, and it's getting close to reality</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="55Y3ExMTE6RBLybkSz9werkiMEHl_UhC" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

How Apple would build 'GovtOS' if the FBI wins

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lunadna-pays-for-genetic-information-2018-12">Genetic testing</a> will be a cornerstone of healthcare in 2019, experts say.</li><li>There are two ways to do the testing: getting a costly but complete genetic workup through a doctor or opting for a cheaper at-home test <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-delete-your-data-23andme-ancestry-2018-7">like those sold by 23andMe</a>.</li><li>Clinicians and advocates criticize the at-home approach, which they say prioritizes <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-ancestry-23andme-share-data-companies-2018-8">convenience over privacy</a> and long-term health.</li><li>But entrepreneurs counter that the at-home approach lets more people access information.</li><li>Which method will win out, and at what cost?</li></ul><p>As millions of Americans sat down to Thanksgiving dinner, biomedical researcher <a href="https://www.vumc.org/getprecise/person/james-hazel-phd-jd">James Hazel</a> sent out a stark warning about the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-ancestry-23andme-share-data-companies-2018-8">genetic-testing kits</a> that he surmised would be a hot topic of conversation.</p><p>Most of them are neither safe nor private.</p><p>Hazel reached this conclusion after reviewing the privacy policies and terms of service of nearly 100 genetic-testing companies that offer their services directly to individuals. Most people use these services either by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-ancestry-23andme-share-data-companies-2018-8">submitting a sample of saliva</a> or uploading their raw digital DNA signature to a public database. Their lofty common draw is enabling people to learn more about their health, family history, and ultimately their identity.</p><p>Hazel, a researcher at Vanderbilt University, studied companies ranging from popular startups like 23andMe - which offers health and ancestry information - to under-the-radar outfits such as GEDmatch, which simply houses genetic information to help people build family trees. His <a href="http://science.sciencemag.org/content/362/6417/898">article</a>, which was published on Thanksgiving Day in the journal <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">Science</keyword>, found that nearly half lacked even a basic privacy document that governed genetic data.</p><p>Privacy isn't the only concern that experts have with consumer genetic tests. In addition to collecting sensitive data on ancestry, companies like 23andMe claim to show how your DNA affects your health. But clinicians, medical professors, and genetic counselors told Business Insider that this information is misleading and could put people at risk of missing warning signs for diseases like cancer.</p><p>"It's very scary for us because patients think they've had a genetic test when they haven't," said <a href="https://profiles.utsouthwestern.edu/profile/127180/theodora-ross.html">Theodora Ross</a>, the director of the cancer-genetics program at the University of Texas Southwestern.</p><p>Still, comprehensive genetic workups - the kind that require a doctor's visit - remain expensive and time-consuming.</p><p>That's led millions of Americans to rely on at-home kits for most of their genetic knowledge. This holiday season, genetic-testing kits broke sales records. Ancestry announced after Thanksgiving that it had sold 14 million DNA kits worldwide. 23andMe has assembled genetic data on more than 5 million customers.</p><p>Experts agree it's time for a different model, something between a pricey doctor-ordered test and the limited spit kits available in drug stores. And though several companies are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lunadna-pays-for-genetic-information-2018-12">trying new approaches</a>, none has emerged as a leader. In the meantime, sensitive customer data is being uploaded and housed in large databases - sometimes forever.</p><h2>Your sensitive data can be shared with others - even if you've never taken a genetic test</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>For law-enforcement officials to arrest suspected <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/r-california-man-arrested-in-golden-state-killer-case-suspected-in-12-slayings-2018-4">Golden State Killer</a> Joseph DeAngelo on charges including four murders and dozens of rapes, they did not need him to participate in any genetic-testing services.</p><p>Instead, DeAngelo's arrest hinged on the participation of several of his distant family members. At some point, 24 people distantly related to him uploaded their genetic data to a public DNA database called GEDmatch.</p><p>After creating a fake GEDmatch profile using DNA they'd gathered at the scene of a 1980 crime, investigators were led to those people. By cross-checking the list against several other databases such as census data and cemetery records, they were able to close in on DeAngelo.</p><p>That's something Hazel and other researchers call "reidentification." He said it's a significant risk for people, even if they haven't ever personally taken a genetic test.</p><p>"The fact that law enforcement has access to this with just a subpoena, that was the impetus for my article," Hazel said. "I wanted to use it to highlight the deficiencies of the system."</p><p>Still, the process required a specialist and years of work, Curtis Rogers, the cofounder of GEDmatch, told Business Insider.</p><p>"It takes many people, each supplying little bits of information, to begin the complicated process of solving a cold case," Rogers said.</p><h2>'Informed consent' is not always informed</h2><p>Most genetic-testing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-ancestry-23andme-share-data-companies-2018-8">companies</a> say they use something called "informed consent" to verify that people understand <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-delete-your-data-23andme-ancestry-2018-7">what their genetic data may be used for</a>. Most well-established companies like Ancestry or 23andMe ask for consent when a customer signs up or registers their kit; others put it in a 10- or 20-page terms-of-service document.</p><p>Informed consent is especially important because some companies <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-delete-your-data-23andme-ancestry-2018-7">keep genetic data</a> for a long time, sometimes <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-delete-your-data-23andme-ancestry-2018-7">indefinitely</a>. That means it can be used in different ways, including for purposes like solving a murder, that customers might not have anticipated.</p><p>DNA data collected by the companies is also being used for drug research, like in the case of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-ancestry-23andme-share-data-companies-2018-8">23andMe's $300 million deal</a> with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, and for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ancestry-google-release-first-genealogy-study-longevity-aging-genetics-2018-11">research on longevity and aging</a>, like in the case of Ancestry's now-ended <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/google-calico-ancestry-dna-genetics-aging-partnership-ended-2018-7">partnership with Google spinoff Calico</a>.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dna-testing-delete-your-data-23andme-ancestry-2018-7">DNA-testing company 23andMe signed a $300 million deal with a drug giant. Here's how to delete your data if that freaks you out.</a></em></p><p>The conflict over informed consent mirrors a recurring debate in medicine about the role of gatekeepers in healthcare. Just as the web made it easy for patients to research their symptoms before reaching out to a doctor, consumer genetic tests have enabled people to query their genome without needing permission from a specialist.</p><p>Entrepreneurs say these new capabilities are empowering because they arm people with new information about themselves. Anne Wojcicki, the founder of 23andMe, has said repeatedly that giving individuals the ability to peek inside their genes allows them to be more active stewards of their health.</p><p>"My hope is that 23andMe, by being less and less regulated, will enable more people to open their eyes to science," Wojcicki <a href="http://fortune.com/2016/11/30/23andme-anne-wojcicki-dna/">said at a Fortune conference</a> in 2016.</p><p>An Ancestry spokesperson shared that sentiment.</p><p>"Our highest priority is protecting our customers' privacy, starting with enabling our customers to always maintain ownership and control over their own data and educating them on how to manage their privacy settings," they said.</p><p>"Any data included in research collaborations is based on customers' voluntary explicit informed consent to participate in research."</p><p>But privacy advocates and clinicians disagree with this view. Genetics is a scientific field that even experts are only beginning to understand, they say. Although there are several genetic mutations that we can firmly say are related to disease, there are thousands of tweaks to our genome that we still have yet to even identify, let alone fully comprehend.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><h2>Some genetic tests could mislead you about your risk of disease</h2><p>Today, 23andMe is the only genetic testing startup that does not require interacting with a physician to get information about how your DNA might affect your risk of disease. For $199, you can order its "Health and Ancestry" product online or buy one at a pharmacy.</p><p>But genetics experts and clinicians caution against using the test for anything beyond entertainment. The tests are not comprehensive, meaning they don't look at all your DNA. Experts say they are also frequently misunderstood by patients. Ross, the University of Texas Southwestern clinician, said that whenever a patient comes in with results from an at-home testing kit, she tells them to throw them away.</p><p>"When it comes to health, 23andMe is not helping. They're getting in the way," she said.</p><p>The 23andMe health report looks at some of the genes related to diseases, including breast cancer, celiac disease, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's. It also tells you if you carry a genetic variant that you could pass on to your children, increasing their risk of genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia.</p><p>The problem is that a 23andMe report that comes back negative for those genetic variants doesn't mean you're at a low risk of disease, because the tests don't look at all your DNA. Instead, they analyze only a small selection of all the genes that have been highly studied and are known to relate to disease risk.</p><p>"If you think of your DNA as a book, the vast majority of consumer genetic tests [let you] see a few letters on the page," <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elissa-levin-0aa8884/">Elissa Levin</a>, the senior director of clinical affairs for personal genomics startup Helix, told Business Insider.</p><p>"Those letters are very valuable if that is a particular mutation that's been highly studied," Levin added.</p><p>More important, while 23andMe tests for three of the tweaks known to be related to breast-cancer risk, there are other disease-linked mutations the test <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/23andme-new-cancer-test-problem-genetics-testing-2018-3">does not include</a>.</p><p>"If someone did a consumer genetic test, they could be misinformed that there's nothing there of concern, when in fact they've only looked at a very small part of their genome," said Lisa Alderson, the CEO of genomic service network and medical practice Genome Medical.</p><p><em><strong>Read more:</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/23andme-new-cancer-test-problem-genetics-testing-2018-3">Genetics testing company 23andMe has a new cancer test, but scientists say it's dangerous</a></em></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>A 23andMe representative said the company makes all these limitations clear to customers when they sign up for the test, and added that the product has been thoroughly reviewed by federal regulators at the Food and Drug Administration.</p><p>"Our health product undergoes levels of FDA scrutiny beyond most clinical tests," the representative said. "Our health tests meet a bar above 99% accuracy and contain information that meets the FDA requirements for clinical validity, meaning it's information related to one's health that's been well established in scientific literature."</p><p>They also said that the 23andMe health report clearly states that a negative report does not mean you are free of disease risk. The report reads:</p><p>"[Name], you do not have the three genetic variants we tested. However, more than 1,000 variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are known to increase cancer risk, so you could still have a variant not included in this test."</p><h2>Current tests may leave out 'the part that may save your life'</h2><p>The single most important missing element when it comes to at-home genetic tests may be the human element, experts say.</p><p>That facet of genetic testing - translating genetic findings into health guidance that people can use - is the same one that's vital to a good doctor's visit. A person-to-person interaction can make the difference between a patient feeling defeated and determined.</p><p>Say you learned from a genetic test that you were at a heightened risk of a certain kind of cancer, for example. You might be left feeling hopeless and anxious. But imagine if instead of simply being told you were at a higher risk of cancer, you were also told that you could take a medical imaging test each year that has a high chance of catching your cancer early, when there's still time to intervene and save your life.</p><p>That's a role many experts say must be played by humans, at least until we have technology that can replace them.</p><p>"When you sit down with your doctor or genetic counselor or whoever the human being is who's talking to you about your result, you get a completely different view of it then if you're sitting on a computer or it comes in the mail," said Ross.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>But there aren't enough doctors or genetic counselors to meet the current demand for genetic-testing services. According to a <a href="https://www.nsgc.org/p/bl/et/blogaid=879">recent report</a> from the National Society of Genetic Counselors, for every graduate of genetic counselor training programs, there are two to three jobs available.</p><p>That's something Helix's Elissa Levin thinks about a lot. She's been watching the development of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/stanford-therapy-chatbot-app-depression-anxiety-woebot-2018-1">chatbots</a> (robots that you can text or direct message with, similar to normal conversation) and wonders if they might one day play a role in helping deliver the findings of genetic tests.</p><p>"To me, part of the balance of providing something responsibly and making a safe and quality experience is making sure the information is provided in a really digestible way," she said.</p><p>But a new and better model hasn't emerged. There are some genetic testing services that let you order a genetic test through an independent physician who can help translate genetic findings remotely, including from Helix and a startup called <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/genetics-test-for-cancer-cholesterol-2018-5">Color Genomics</a>.</p><h2>A brave new world for genetic testing?</h2><p>Some startups are beginning to experiment with new models for genetic testing. For instance, <a href="https://www.nebula.org/">Nebula Genomics</a>, says you can get your entire genome (your full book of genomic data, rather than simply a few letters) sequenced, own the data set, and <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/610221/this-new-company-wants-to-sequence-your-genome-and-let-you-share-it-on-a-blockchain/">earn digital money</a> by sharing it.</p><p>Another approach is being pioneered by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lunadna-pays-for-genetic-information-2018-12">LunaDNA</a>. Cofounded by Dawn Barry, a 12-year veteran of biotech giant Illumina, Luna is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lunadna-pays-for-genetic-information-2018-12">offering to pay people</a> for their genetic information in the form of shares of LunaDNA.</p><p>Barry created Luna as one answer to the problematic genetic-testing landscape, which she said doesn't prioritize privacy or offer people control over their data.</p><p>"In many cases you're buying a product, but maybe you are the product, and those models don't feel as transparent as they should," Barry told Business Insider.</p><p>She said Luna ensures that when customers contribute their DNA data, that data is anonymized and maintained in what she called an "analytics sandbox," which protects it from hacking or leaks.</p><p>"If you want to delete your data, there's only one copy," Barry said. "It's gone. Your shares go back. You're forgotten about, so to speak."</p><p class="tagline"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/ai-in-us-healthcare?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=ctgr&amp;utm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;utm_content=dhealth_ctgr_leadgen&amp;utm_campaign=dhealth_ctgr_leadgen_ai_in_us_healthcare"></a></hr></p>

Genetic testing could be the future of healthcare, but some doctors think companies like 23andMe might be doing more harm than good

The CEO of Publicis told us how he stared down a furious internal rebellion to bet the future of his $11 billion company on artificial intelligence

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://pictures.reuters.com/"> Reuters/Darren Staples</a></span></p><p class="caption">Prime Minister David Cameron.</p></div><p></p></div></div>David Cameron has signalled that he intends to ban strong encryption - putting the British government on a collision course with some of the biggest tech companies in the world.</p><p><a href="http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2015/06/30/david-cameron-twitter-and-facebook-privacy-is-unsustainable">As reported by Politics.co.uk</a>, the British Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to tackling strong encryption products in Parliament on Monday in response to a question.</p><p>Strong encryption refers to the act of scrambling information in such a way that it cannot be understood by anyone - even law enforcement with a valid warrant, or the software company itself - without the correct key or password.</p><p>It's currently used in some of the most popular tech products in the world, including the iPhone, WhatsApp, and Facebook. But amid heightened terrorism fears, David Cameron is attempting to take action.</p><h2 class="p1">Encryption is a contentious issue right now</h2><p>Over the last year, encryption has become a hot tech policy issue. Following exiled whistleblower Edward Snowden's revelations about mass surveillance online by the NSA and other spy agencies, tech companies have increasingly moved to incorporate strong encryption into their products to protect consumers' data. And simultaneously, governments and law enforcement officials have upped their rhetoric, warning that proliferation of the tech could help terrorists and criminals evade capture.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Wainwright_(civil_servant)#/media/File:Director_Wainwright_at_the_World_Economic_Forum.jpg">Wikimedia/Ytoyoda</a></span></p><p class="caption">Europol chief Rob Wainwright.</p></div><p></p></div></div>When Apple implemented strong encryption by default in late 2014, for example, <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/police-apple-will-become-the-phone-of-choice-for-the-pedophile-2014-9">a senior US police officer warned that</a> the iPhone would become the "phone of choice for the paedophile" as a result. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/europol-wainright-encryption-biggest-problem-tackling-terrorism-apple-google-2015-3">And European police chief Rob Wainwright said in March 2015 that</a> encryption is now the "biggest problem" in tackling terrorism.</p><p>It's a difficult situation. On the one hand, it's easy to sympathise with law enforcement, who fear that large amounts of communications data they previously had access to are now "going dark." But security experts warn that any attempt to weaken encryption or introduce "back doors" for the authorities can have unintended and dangerous consequences. There's no back door that can only be used by the good guys, they argue, and weakening the tech will put consumers at risk from criminals and hackers.</p><h2 class="p1">Cameron already made his thoughts clear</h2><p>As it currently stands, it's already <a href="http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/features-issue-sections/11071/police-force-password-cellphone/">illegal for Britons to refuse to surrender their passwords or encryption keys</a>, and you can be jailed for doing so. But if someone's refusing to talk (or they can't be found), and police need to gain access to communication data urgently, then this isn't much help.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p><p class="caption">The Charlie Hebdo massacre sparked Cameron's initial anti-encryption rhetoric.</p></div><p></p></div></div>In the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris earlier this year, Cameron first signalled his intention to take action against strong encryption products. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/david-cameron-encryption-apple-pgp-2015-1">In a speech, he asked whether</a> "we want to allow a means of communication between two people which even <em>in extemis</em> with a signed warrant from the home secretary personally that we cannot read? ... My answer to that question is no, we must not. The first duty of any government is to keep our country and our people safe."</p><p>The inference was clear: If your encryption product cannot be intercepted and decrypted by law enforcement, even with a warrant, we're coming for you.</p><p>These comments immediately sparked <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/britains-proposed-encryption-ban-is-totally-unworkable-2015-1">a flurry of criticism from privacy and security activists</a>. Jim Killock, executive director of human rights organisation Open Rights Group, said that Cameron's plans "appear dangerous, ill-thought out and scary." They make "us all more vulnerable to criminal attack."</p><p><a href="http://boingboing.net/2015/01/13/what-david-cameron-just-propos.html">Author and activist Cory Doctorow also wrote a scathing takedown</a> of Cameron's plans, arguing that if you leave in a vulnerability for law enforcement, it'll be abused by "foreign spies, criminals, crooked police."</p><p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/13/cameron-ban-encryption-digital-britain-online-shopping-banking-messaging-terror">And writing for the Guardian, James Ball suggested </a>that a blanket ban on encryption would "spell the end of e-commerce" in the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> since credit card details are generally always sent via secure encrypted connections. "Cameron either knows his anti-terror talk is unworkable and is looking for headlines," Ball said, "or he hasn't got a clue."</p><h2 class="p1">An encryption ban is now on the cards</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Getty</span></p><p class="caption">Increased spy powers were announced at this year's Queen's Speech.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Following the General Election earlier this year, David Cameron laid out his government's plans for the year in the Queen's Speech. In it, he included increased spy powers in the form of the Investigatory Powers Bill - but at the time, it wasn't clear whether this would include a crackdown or outright ban on strong encryption products.</p><p><a href="http://www.politics.co.uk/news/2015/06/30/david-cameron-twitter-and-facebook-privacy-is-unsustainable">But Politics.co.uk reports</a> that Cameron is now set to attempt to curtail the use of strong encryption in the coming year. The Prime Minister was asked by Conservative MP Henry Bellingham in Parliament on Monday whether "companies such as Google, Facebook and Twitter… understand that their current privacy policies are completely unsustainable?"</p><h3>Cameron responded (emphasis ours):</h3><p style="padding-left: 30px;">Britain is not a state that is trying to search through everybody's emails and invade their privacy … <strong>We just want to ensure that terrorists do not have a safe space in which to communicate. That is the challenge, and it is a challenge that will come in front of the House</strong>.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">We have always been able, on the authority of the home secretary, to sign a warrant and intercept a phone call, a mobile phone call or other media communications, but <strong>the question we must ask ourselves is whether, as technology develops, we are content to leave a safe space-a new means of communication-for terrorists to communicate with each other</strong>.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">My answer is no, we should not be, which means that <strong>we must look at all the new media being produced and ensure that, in every case, we are able, in extremis and on the signature of a warrant, to get to the bottom of what is going on</strong>.</p><p>Business Insider has reached out to 10 Downing Street for further comment and will update when if it responds.</p><h2 class="p1">Encryption is everywhere</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque</span></p><p class="caption">Apple CEO Tim Cook has spoken out repeatedly in favour of strong encryption products.</p></div><p></p></div></div>There's a serious problem with these plans, however: Dozens of top tech companies all incorporate strong encryption into their products, and are unlikely to budge on the issue. As already mentioned, Apple now incorporates it by default, and CEO Tim Cook has become a staunch defender of user privacy. <a href="http://www.apple.com/privacy/">In an open letter on Apple's website</a>, he says the Cupertino company has "never worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products or services. We have also never allowed access to our servers. And we never will."</p><p>Wildly popular messaging app WhatsApp also uses encryption. Its founder, Jan Koum, grew up in the Soviet Union, and the legacy of constant state surveillance left a lasting impression upon him. Facebook, which owns WhatsApp, <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/facebook-adds-public-encryption-key-user-profile-email-pgp-2015-6">recently introduced support for encryption software PGP</a> - letting users receive emails in an encrypted format and publicise their PGP public key that lets others contact them securely on their profiles.</p><h2 class="p2">There are huge technical challenges facing any ban</h2><p>These companies are highly unlikely to agree to any demand from Cameron's government to weaken their encryption product, in part because it would create an extremely dangerous precedent. If Apple provides back doors in its software for Britain, then why not China, or Russia, or Saudi Arabia?</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Flickr/Sallam</span></p><p class="caption">Many protesters around the world use encryption for protection.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Further complicating the matter is that millions of activists, dissidents, journalists and whistleblowers around the world already use strong encryption products (like PGP) to keep their sensitive communications secure. It's inconceivable that the developers of such tools would agree to Cameron's plans, as any backdoor would endanger the lives of activists that rely on the service worldwide.</p><p>If Cameron tried to block the software in the UK, it would mean that many digital journalists in Britain would be breaking the law by continuing to use it to communicate with sources.</p><p>On a purely technical level, it's difficult to imagine how such a ban could ever be implemented. <a href="http://boingboing.net/2015/01/13/what-david-cameron-just-propos.html">As Cory Doctorow pointed out earlier this year</a>, the level of internet filtering that would be required to block rogue software from getting in would put Britain on a par with "Syria, Russia, and Iran" - and even then it's not very effective. The "great firewall of China" was built at enormous expense to the country, but activists are <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/politics/great-firewall-censorship-circumvention-anthony-tao/">still able to circumvent it</a>.</p><p>Incredibly popular coding sites like GitHub might also have to be banned or policed at great expense, lest they're used to distribute illicit encryption software. Doctorow even suggests that "anyone visiting the country from abroad must have their smartphones held at the border until they leave," because their devices - with strong encryption enabled by default - would be illegal in Britain.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jerusalem-israel-police-surveillance-balloons-2014-11">These Surveillance Balloons Are The Hot New Way To Spy On People</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="pycTl4cTp5qwJ58ZCPdAB893z0V9eyP6" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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