Tennessee – Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti has issued a warning to customers of genetic testing company 23andMe, urging them to take steps to protect their personal data and privacy following the company’s recent bankruptcy filing.
23andMe, a popular genetic testing service, has filed for bankruptcy, and as part of the process, the company intends to sell substantially all of its assets. This includes sensitive data such as personal information, genetic test results, and DNA samples provided by its customers. Although the company has stated that it will continue its current practices for storing and protecting customer data, the future handling of this sensitive information remains uncertain, especially with the potential sale of these assets to an unknown purchaser.
Attorney General Skrmetti is advising Tennessee consumers who have used 23andMe’s services to exercise their rights, which include the ability to delete their genetic testing results from the company’s database, download their personal data, and instruct the company to destroy their biological samples. He emphasized that customers are entitled to take steps to ensure that their private data is not misused in light of the company’s uncertain future.
“Our genetic information is some of our most personal data, giving insight about not just us but our families,” said Attorney General Skrmetti. “People trusted 23andMe with their DNA to learn more about who they are, and now the company appears poised to sell that incredibly sensitive data to unknown buyers. Any Tennessee consumer who wants to delete their data and ensure their sample is destroyed should follow the step-by-step instructions provided on our website.”
Skrmetti also referenced Tennessee’s Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA), which went into effect in July 2023. This law requires companies, like 23andMe, to protect consumers’ private genetic information and provide them with the ability to access, delete, and control the use of their data. Customers are also entitled to request the destruction of their biological samples and to opt out of allowing their genetic data to be used for research purposes.
Customers of 23andMe can visit the company’s website to follow a process that allows them to modify their preferences, download their personal data, or permanently delete their accounts. General Skrmetti has emphasized the importance of understanding these rights and taking action promptly to ensure the security of sensitive genetic information.