By Molly Goddard
9:43am PDT, Mar 24, 2025
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People who have used 23andMe may want to swipe their data.
As the DNA-testing company files for bankruptcy, officials warned the public that their sensitive
information may be at risk of exposure if the business goes under.
Join us to read why consumers of 23andMe should be hitting delete as soon as possible…
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In a Friday, March 21, statement, California's
Attorney General Rob Bonta warned users to take action to protect themselves.
"Given 23andMe's reported financial distress, I remind Californians to consider invoking their rights and directing 23andMe to delete their data and destroy any samples of genetic material held by the company," the lawyer explained.
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When someone purchases a 23andMe kit, they give a saliva sample, mail it back to the company, pay $200 in order to receive personal health and ancestry data.
In 2020, the
business was valued at $6 billion. However, as executives tried to venture into drug research and pharmaceutical partnerships and overcame a data breach, the entity began to lose value.
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In 2023, 23andMe sent an email to everyone who had ever purchased the kit to notify them that a data leak had occurred and their sensitive information may be at risk.
"There was unauthorized access to one or more 23andMe accounts that were connected to you through
DNA Relatives," the company explained in the message. "As a result, the DNA Relatives profile information you provided in this feature was exposed to the threat actor."
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According to
CNBC, on Sunday, March 23, 23andMe filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection in Missouri federal court.
"We have had many successes, but I equally take accountability for the challenges we have today," CEO
Anne Wojcicki penned in a post on X on Monday, March 24. "There is no doubt that the challenges faced by 23andMe through an evolving business model have been real, but my belief in the company and its future is unwavering."
