- 23andme files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as it tries to “facilitate a sale process.”
- Here’s how you can delete your data from 23andme.
- Will all data be deleted? No. 23andme will retain some genetic info.
23andme has filed for bankruptcy, raising questions for millions on what happens to data sent in by customers curious about their ancestry.
The announcement was made Sunday, March 23, in a news release.
The bankruptcy and departure of co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki followed struggles after a data breach in 2023 and a falling demand for its ancestry testing kits. In 2024, the company laid off 200 employees.
➤ 23andMe files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. What does this mean for Floridians data?
23andme, which described itself as a “leading human genetics and biotechnology company,” filed for bankruptcy to “facilitate a sale process to maximize the value of its business. The Company intends to continue operating its business in the ordinary course throughout the sale process,” the news release said.
23andme data breach affected almost 7 million customers
The company was hacked in 2023, compromising data in nearly 6.9 million DNA Relatives and Family Tree profiles.
Leaked data included users’ account information, location, ancestry reports, DNA matches, family names, profile pictures, birthdates and more.
The company reached a settlement of $30 million for the customers whose personal information was breached.
How can you delete your genetic data from 23andme?
23andme said it is “committed to continuing to safeguard customer data and being transparent about the management of user data going forward, and data privacy will be an important consideration in any potential transaction.”
California’s attorney general, Rob Bonta, who sent out a “consumer alert for 23andme customers,” outlined these steps to delete your genetic data from 23andme:
- Log into your 23andMe account on its website.
- Go to the “Settings” section of your profile.
- Scroll to a section labeled “23andMe Data” at the bottom of the page.
- Click “View” next to “23andMe Data”
- Download your data: If you want a copy of your genetic data for personal storage, choose the option to download it to your device before proceeding.
- Scroll to the “Delete Data” section.
- Click “Permanently Delete Data.”
- Confirm your request: You’ll receive an email from 23andMe; follow the link in the email to confirm your deletion request.
The company said the data is deleted once a user submits and confirms the request.
Does 23andme delete all your personal information?
According to the 23andme’s website, while users can remove their personal information anytime by opting out of the 23andMe data section of account settings, the company is legally required to retain certain information.
“23andMe and/or our contracted genotyping laboratory will retain your Genetic Information, date of birth and sex as required for compliance with applicable legal obligations… even if you chose to delete your account,” the company’s privacy statement said.
Can you ask 23andme to destroy the test sample you sent?
“If you previously opted to have your saliva sample and DNA stored by 23andMe, but want to change that preference, you can do so from your account settings page, under “Preferences,” according to California’s attorney general.
Contributing: Marley Malenfant, Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today
