UAB Warns 23andME Customers to Take Steps to Protect Your DNA Data
By Sheila Duncan
Reporter
If you have used this service for any reason, take steps to protect yourself as the company files for bankruptcy. 23andMe is a Health and Ancestry service that analyzes your DNA to provide insights into your genetic data. With 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, a cybersecurity expert at UAB warns that if the company has your DNA data, you should take steps to protect it now rather than waiting.
While millions have used 23andMe’s services, the company struggled to make steady profits. Once customers took the test, they didn’t keep paying. A failed subscription model and a major data breach in 2023 damaged the company’s reputation, contributing to its downfall.
Unlike medical DNA testing companies, 23andMe isn’t required to follow strict privacy laws (like HIPAA). If the company goes bankrupt, its assets—including its DNA database—could be sold. Customers are urged to ask 23andMe to delete their data.
Your DNA holds personal details about you and your family. If a company buys this data, they can predict your future health issues and use it to market products, adjust insurance rates, or even allow employers to discriminate based on health risks. Unlike a stolen credit card number, DNA is permanent—you can’t change it.
(source UAB)
