(NewsNation) — After extended financial uncertainty and recent layoffs, 23andMe has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and CEO Anne Wojcicki, whose takeover bids failed, has stepped down.
The genetic testing company has the genetic data of more than 15 million customers — and California Attorney General Rob Bonta is warning users to purge their data sooner rather than later.
In a news release, Bonta said it is important to make use of “robust privacy laws” allowing customers to “take control and request that a company delete their genetic data.”
In a news release announcing the bankruptcy filing, 23andMe chair Mark Jensen thanked the company’s employees and assured the security of customer data.
Jensen said 23andMe 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.”
While health care information is typically safeguarded under privacy laws, information acquired by direct-to-consumer companies — referred to as a “trove of sensitive consumer data” by Bonta — isn’t guaranteed that same protection.
About 80% of 23andMe’s customers agree to have their genetic data analyzed for medical research upon signing up for the service, NPR reported last year.
How to delete your data from 23andMe
Users can delete their data from 23andMe’s website by:
- Logging into their account
- Clicking on “Settings” under their profile
- Finding the “23andMe Data” section
- Clicking “View,” then “23andMe Data”
- Choosing the “Permanently Delete Data” selection
According to Bonta, 23andMe will then send a follow-up email allowing users to confirm their decision to delete their data.
If you want to take it a step further, you can delete your account altogether by:
- Scrolling to the “Account Information” section
- Selecting “Delete Your Account”
23andMe bankruptcy: Which states have genetic privacy laws?
Ten states — including California — have enacted privacy laws for direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies, according to a March 2024 article from the Future of Privacy Forum.
States include:
- Arizona
- California
- Kentucky
- Maryland
- Montana
- Utah
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Wyoming
NewsNation’s Ashley N. Soriano contributed to this report.
