23andMe Filed for Bankruptcy. What Does That Mean For You?

The genetic testing and knowledge firm, 23andMe, introduced on March 23 that it has filed for chapter, after years of monetary struggles and knowledge privateness considerations.

Submitting for chapter will enable the corporate “to facilitate a sale course of to maximise the worth of its enterprise,” 23andMe mentioned in a press release. The information additionally comes amid administration adjustments; in accordance with the press launch, Chief Govt Officer Anne Wojcicki is stepping down from her position, efficient instantly, however will proceed to function a board member. The corporate’s board chosen Chief Monetary and Accounting Officer Joe Selsavage to function the interim CEO.

Within the press launch, 23andMe mentioned it “intends to proceed working its enterprise within the peculiar course all through the sale course of. There aren’t any adjustments to the way in which the Firm shops, manages, or protects buyer knowledge.”

“We’re dedicated to persevering with to safeguard buyer knowledge and being clear concerning the administration of consumer knowledge going ahead, and knowledge privateness can be an vital consideration in any potential transaction,” Mark Jensen, chair and member of the Particular Committee of the Board of Administrators, mentioned within the press launch.

Nonetheless, some officers are urging prospects to think about deleting their knowledge. Just some days earlier than the chapter announcement, on March 21, California Legal professional Basic Rob Bonta issued a client alert to 23andMe prospects, advising them to think about deleting their knowledge from the corporate’s web site.

“Given 23andMe’s reported monetary misery, I remind Californians to think about invoking their rights and directing 23andMe to delete their knowledge and destroy any samples of genetic materials held by the corporate,” Bonta mentioned in a press release.

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Some know-how consultants additionally inspired 23andMe customers to delete their knowledge. Meredith Whittaker, the president of the messaging app Sign, said in a put up on X: “It isn’t simply you. If anybody in your FAMILY gave their DNA to 23&me, for your entire sakes, shut your/their account now. This would possibly not remedy the problem, however they’ll (they declare) delete a few of your knowledge.”

In October 2024, NPR reported on prospects’ considerations over what might occur to their non-public knowledge amid the corporate’s monetary challenges. A 23andMe spokesperson informed NPR that the corporate was dedicated to privateness, however would not reply questions on what the corporate would possibly do with buyer knowledge. Authorized consultants mentioned that there are few federal protections for patrons, and fearful that the delicate knowledge might doubtlessly be offered off and even accessed by regulation enforcement, NPR reported.

The California Legal professional Basic’s Workplace outlined in its press launch on March 21 the steps prospects have to take to delete their genetic knowledge from 23andMe: After logging into your account, click on on “Settings” and scroll to the underside of the web page to a bit known as “23andMe Information”; click on “View”; then you may obtain your knowledge; scroll to the “Delete Information” part and click on “Completely Delete Information.” You’ll obtain an electronic mail from 23andMe after that, and you’ll comply with the hyperlink within the electronic mail to substantiate your request to delete your knowledge.

Should you had beforehand allowed 23andMe to retailer a saliva pattern and DNA, you may change that desire by going to the “Settings” web page in your account, below “Preferences.” Should you had beforehand allowed 23andMe and third-party researchers to make use of your genetic knowledge and pattern for analysis functions, you can too revoke that consent from the “Settings” web page, below “Analysis and Product Consents.”