23andMe is a sinking ship – Delete your data

October 10, 2024

By Kim Komando

23andMe is going down like a sinking ship, and CEO Anne Wojcicki is waffling on whether to sell. You know what else would be up for sale if she did? The DNA of 23andMe’s 15 million customers.

If you’ve used the genetic testing service, you have every right to be concerned. Depending on who buys it, your genetic information could be used in a whole new way. Here’s the latest on what’s happening and how you can protect yourself.

Why is 23andMe crashing and burning?

When the human genome hype first hit the scene, it came with the promise of personalized health plans meant for your specific needs. The problem is most diseases can’t be narrowed down to a single gene, so DNA data isn’t really all that helpful. Womp, womp.

The other big concern, of course, is privacy (paywall link). Unlike your doctor’s office, 23andMe isn’t bound by HIPAA, which keeps health information protected. Their privacy policy clearly states they have the right to sell off customer information in a merger or acquisition.

Yes, this is the major reason I’ve always cautioned against giving your DNA info to any company.

Right now, 23andMe makes you opt in if they want to use your data for advertising or research. If the company sells, the next one in charge is under no obligation to do the same.

Wojcicki and 23andMe have until Nov. 4 to raise the company’s share price to $1. At the time of writing, it’s sitting at 30 cents … ouch. If they don’t hit a buck, the stock will be delisted. A sale is absolutely on the table.

Who’d want to buy DNA data? I bet insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry would love to know our deep, dark genetic secrets. That’s a whole lot of info they can use for pricing and even more targeted ads.

Gene-ie in a bottle

If you’ve already handed your data over to 23andMe, the good news is you can delete it yourself before the storm hits. Here’s how:

Pro tip: If you want a copy of your data, download it within your account settings before going through the deletion process. Once you submit your deletion request, 23andMe will send an email to the address linked to your 23andMe account.

Once you confirm your request, they’ll start the deletion process. If you initially agreed to have your sample saved, it will also be physically destroyed. FYI: You’ll also lose access to your account. I’d consider that a good thing.

🤝 Now, say it with me: “I will not send my DNA to a company that wants to make money off it.”

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https://www.komando.com/news/23andme-is-a-sinking-ship-delete-your-data/