Why it matters
Relationships between nearby variants can make isolated redaction less protective than it appears. A reader assessing an inference claim should ask what surrounding information remained available and how reliable the inference was.
A practical example
Imagine a report hides one marker but leaves neighboring markers visible. If those neighbors often travel together with the hidden marker, the remaining pattern may provide clues about the missing value.
An important distinction
Shared haplotypes do not automatically establish a unique identity or a particular family relationship. Interpretation depends on the region, population, available comparison data, and the amount of shared information.
Sources and further reading
- BACKGROUND SOURCE NHGRI Talking Glossary of Genomic and Genetic Terms
The example above is hypothetical. Related cases provide context; they do not imply that every case involved this mechanism.