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Genetic testing firm 23andMe is grappling with the fallout from its recent bankruptcy filing. Interim CEO Joseph Selsavage revealed to lawmakers that approximately 15% of its customer base, totaling 1.9 million individuals, have requested the deletion of their genetic data since the company sought bankruptcy protection in March.
The surge in data deletion requests underscores growing apprehension among users about the potential fate of their sensitive information. These concerns were amplified following 23andMe’s bankruptcy auction, which raised fears that customer data could fall into the wrong hands.
Pharmaceutical giant Regeneron emerged as the winning bidder in the court-approved auction, offering $256 million for 23andMe and its vast repository of DNA and genetic data. Regeneron has stated its intention to utilize the data to accelerate drug discovery while adhering to 23andMe’s existing privacy protocols.
A federal bankruptcy court is scheduled to review Regeneron’s acquisition proposal later this month.
23andMe’s financial woes surfaced a year after a significant data breach compromised the personal and genetic information of 6.9 million customers. The company faced criticism for initially blaming customers’ lack of multi-factor authentication for the breach, rather than addressing its own security vulnerabilities and delayed breach detection.
Adding to 23andMe’s challenges, a coalition of over two dozen states, including Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania, has filed a lawsuit challenging the sale of customer data. The states assert that 23andMe cannot legally transfer the data of its 15 million customers without obtaining their explicit consent.
For users seeking to remove their data, TechCrunch provides a helpful guide on how to delete your 23andMe data.
Keywords: 23andMe, data deletion, bankruptcy, genetic data, privacy, Regeneron, data breach, lawsuit, cybersecurity