California Attorney-General Rob Bonta has urged users of genetic testing company 23andMe to delete their personal data, warning them of potential risks if the company goes bankrupt, the New York Post reported on Sunday.
“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,” Bonta said in a statement on Friday.
According to the California Department of Justice, the state’s Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) allows users to delete their accounts and genetic data and request that any biological samples be destroyed.
“In addition, GIPA permits California consumers to revoke consent that they provided a genetic testing company to collect, use, and disclose genetic data and to store biological samples after the initial testing has been completed,” the department noted on its website.
The website also explains that under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), consumers have the right to delete any personal information—genetic data included—held by businesses that collect such information.
Data breach
In September 2023, The Jerusalem Post reported that 23andMe agreed to pay $30 million to settle a lawsuit brought by American plaintiffs over a data breach that had targeted users of Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese descent.
The breach, which occurred in October 2023, exposed the personal data of more than 6.9 million customers, including names, locations, birthdates, and family tree information. The data was then shared on an online forum used by cyber criminals, the Post reported.
Once valued at over $320 per share in February 2021, the company’s stock is now trading at under $2, the NYP reported.
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