Safety Alert: 23andMe bankruptcy, how to delete your data
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The DNA testing company 23andMe has announced plans to file for bankruptcy and to sell off its assets which could include genetic data.
More than 15 million people have used 23andMe to identify their ancestry, family, personality and very specific health traits.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson says South Carolinians with a 23andMe should consider deleting it to protect their personal information.
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Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr’s office said 23andme “collects highly personal information from consumers. In a bankruptcy proceeding, this sensitive data could be considered an asset, and it could be sold or transferred to a third party.”
Carr’s office said Georgians should review their privacy options and strongly consider deleting their s.
The concern lies in this disclosure on the company’s website:
If we are involved in a bankruptcy, your personal information may be accessed, sold or transferred as part of that transaction.
Here’s what you need to do now:
Go to settings in your and open preferences. Click edit to permanently discard your DNA sample.
Next, under settings, research and product consent. Click edit to revoke and decline all four categories.
You can also choose to close your under settings. According to 23andMe’s privacy statement, upon deletion, they will automatically opt you out of research and discard your sample.
You can read more about 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing here.
23andMe has said in a statement that they will look for a partner who shares their commitment to customer data privacy. However, taking proactive steps to protect your data is crucial.
23andMe’s CEO and founder, Anne Wojcicki, has resigned but has also stated she will make a bid to buy back the company.
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