Millions Gave 23andMe® Their DNA - Now It's up for Sale

Millions thought they were simply swabbing for family fun. Now, some fear their DNA could be sold to the highest bidder. When 23andMe^® filed for bankruptcy, it didn’t just rock Silicon Valley - it triggered a digital stampede as users raced to delete their most intimate data. What started as a tool for tracing ancestry has unraveled into a cautionary tale of corporate collapse and cyber vulnerability.

‘Delete Your DNA’ - Website Overwhelmed After Bankruptcy Bombshell

On March 24, 23andMe declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, igniting fears over the fate of the company's vast genetic database. With over 15 million customers worldwide, traffic to the site surged 526% the day the announcement broke. Within 24 hours, nearly half a million users visited help pages to figure out how to delete their data.

But some found themselves locked in digital limbo. Two-step verification codes failed to arrive, and download attempts of personal genetic reports stalled, according to frustrated users speaking to CBS News. The site blamed the chaos on overwhelming traffic - and by Tuesday, claimed it had stabilized operations.

Experts Call It a ‘National Security Disaster’

Privacy advocates wasted no time. California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta publicly urged users to wipe their accounts and demand destruction of their saliva samples. Margaret Hu, a law professor at William & Mary, went further, warning CNBC, “This development is a disaster for data privacy.

Concerns aren’t just theoretical. In 2023, nearly 7 million users were exposed in a massive data breach, leading to a $30 million settlement. Now in bankruptcy, experts fear 23andMe’s user data could be auctioned off - potentially to foreign buyers or pharmaceutical firms seeking to renegotiate access agreements.

For Some Families, It’s Already Too Late

Lansing, Michigan resident Elaine Brockhaus, 70, joined 23andMe years ago to learn more about her family history. “We enjoyed some aspects of 23&Me,” Brockhaus said. “They continually refined and updated our heritage as more people joined, and they were better able to pinpoint genetically related groups.” She stated that now, no one’s account remains open.

What began as a lighthearted family experiment has become a source of real worry. “Anyone sending ColoGuard or receiving medical results through the mail is taking a risk of exposure,” she added, “but unless we want to dig holes out back and live in them, we have to be vigilant, proactive, but not panicked,” CNBC reported.

DNA Data: A Hacker’s Dream

Jon Clay of cybersecurity firm Trend Micro says the genetic data stored by 23andMe is a goldmine for criminals. “Cybercriminals can use it to target consumers with convincing scams … or send deceptive messages about their potential health risks,” Clay said, according to CNBC.

Even if data is technically anonymized, experts warn that determined actors could link IDs with other personal details - especially if protections weaken under a new owner.

How to Delete Your DNA Before It’s Too Late

Worried customers can still take action. According to 23andMe, here are the steps users can take to delete their data:

-Log in to your account

-Go to “settings”

-Scroll to “23andMe data”

-Click “view”

-Scroll to “delete data”

-Click “permanently delete data”

-Confirm your request in your email

Users can also request destruction of their saliva sample and revoke permission for data-sharing under “Preferences” and “Research and Product Consents.”

While the company insists privacy remains a “priority,” their own Terms of Service allow the privacy policy to change with new ownership.

With the company on the auction block, experts agree: this isn’t just a tech story. It’s a wake-up call about what we hand over - and how easily it can come back to haunt us.

References: 23andMe bankruptcy: With America’s DNA put on sale, market panic gets a new twist | Here’s how to delete your personal data and genetic sample from 23andMe | 23andMe is looking to sell customers’ genetic data. Here’s how to delete it | California Attorney General Rob Bonta on 23andMe and consumer data