NORTH CAROLINA — A DNA testing firm has filed bankruptcy and the state’s top legal counsel suggests folks who have used the platform delete their health information from the site.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson recommends North Carolinians “act quickly” to take down their private health information from 23andMe. With an uncertain future, as the site filed Chapter 11 over the weekend, Jackson said one’s private genetic data could be at risk.
The state has been investigating 23andMe since it released the company’s data breach in October 2023. The AG’s office is focused on ensuring the company safeguards personal information.
“Your genetic data is your most personal, confidential data, and you should be able to protect who has access to it,” Jackson wrote in a statement. “As 23andMe’s bankruptcy proceedings play out, it’s possible that North Carolinians’ private genetic and other health data could be sold to other companies.”
23andMe filed the bankruptcy with the goal of finding a buyer for the company. It released in a letter last week that the proceedings will not affect the ways in which it stores, manages or protects its customer data.
“Any buyer of 23andMe will be required to comply with applicable law with respect to the treatment of customer data,” the letter indicates.
The company began in 2006 and has served around 15 million people globally.
Jackson also vowed to do everything possible to protect North Carolina consumer data moving forward. He suggested the following steps to ensure one’s data is removed:
- Log into your 23andMe account
- Follow instructions here if you want to destroy your test sample or revoke permission for your genetic data to be used for research
- Under your account profile, click on “Settings”
- Scroll down to “23andMe data” and click on “View”
- Select “Delete data”
- Click “Permanently delete data”
- Follow instructions to confirm your request to delete your data
After confirmation, 23andMe will automatically begin the deletion process and users will lose access to their account.
Want to read more from PCD? Subscribe now and then sign up for our morning newsletter, Wilmington Wire, and get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.
