According to a provocative article in the Virginian-Pilot, relatively inexpensive home DNA kits have become popular purchases – by men firmly established in their roles as fathers to children.

The article correctly points out that such tests, by themselves, generally have no legal significance.

But, the article underscores, the arguably unreliable tests may have enormous social significance and consequence – particularly to the innocent children to whom these men acted as fathers – at least up until the test results came in.

The article pins the blame squarely on the manufacturers of these apparently profitable home DNA tests. But that may be a somewhat oversimplified view that calls for deeper examination.