So… Your DNA Might Be Up for Grabs
In case you missed it, 23andMe just declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. And while that might sound like a boring corporate buzzword salad, it has one terrifying implication: your genetic data—the blueprint of you—is now a corporate asset.
And assets in bankruptcy get sold.
Let that sink in.
Your spit sample. Your ancestry. Your genetic markers for disease. Your private health predispositions. All of it.
Now? Potentially on the open market.
This Isn’t Just a Legal Filing. It’s a Privacy Emergency.
23andMe isn’t just shutting down. It’s trying to restructure, sell off assets, and find a buyer—fast. And guess what’s the crown jewel in that sale? You. Or more specifically, your DNA profile.
This isn’t a conspiracy theory. This is basic bankruptcy math. Chapter 11 is designed to keep the business running while it finds a buyer or reorganizes. That means everything valuable is on the table—and that includes your most personal data.
And yes, there’s a clause in their privacy policy that allows this transfer 1.
A Company Already Caught Leaking Your DNA
Let’s not forget: 23andMe already leaked your data.
In 2023, nearly 7 million users had personal info and genetic data exposed in a massive breach 2. Think about that: the company failed to protect your DNA before it was on life support.
Now it’s bankrupt. And your data is on the auction block.
What Could Someone Do With Your DNA?
People think DNA is just ancestry trivia. It’s not.
DNA is you. Your health risks. Your biological vulnerabilities. Your family tree. Your kids. Your siblings. Your parents. It’s a forever fingerprint.
Now imagine that data in the wrong hands.
Insurance companies could discriminate based on your likelihood of developing expensive conditions—GINA doesn’t protect against discrimination in life insurance, long-term care, or disability insurance 5.
Employers could make “gut instinct” hiring decisions based on what you might cost them in healthcare down the road 6.
And hackers? They already breached 23andMe once. Credential stuffing exposed family connections, birthdates, and relationship data 7. If they get full access to the DNA profiles themselves, that opens the door to:
- Advanced identity theft using unique bio-markers.
- Blackmail or social engineering using sensitive health data.
- Re-identification of “anonymous” datasets when cross-referenced with public records 8.
Worse? Your relatives never opted in. But your data could expose them, too 9.
“But There Are Laws, Right?” Sure. Kinda.
HIPAA? Doesn’t apply to 23andMe. They’re not a medical provider.
GINA? Only prevents discrimination in health insurance and employment. Not life insurance. Not long-term care. Not the stuff that actually matters here 5.
The only real legal safeguard is a vague patchwork of:
- Bankruptcy code
- California’s GIPA
- FTC enforcement of “unfair or deceptive practices”
Bankruptcy courts are focused on one thing: maximizing value for creditors. Your privacy is secondary. If someone offers top dollar for your genome, that’s the deal 3.
Experts Are Sounding the Alarm
California’s Attorney General told consumers to delete their DNA data and destroy their spit samples now 3.
Signal’s President Meredith Whittaker called it a wake-up call and urged users to bail 6.
Legal experts from Harvard and Georgetown warned that once the company is sold, your genetic privacy hinges entirely on the new owner’s policies—and they can rewrite the rules at any time 16.
You’ll be asked to agree to the new terms. Or lose access.
What You Can (and Should) Do Right Now
- Log in and opt out of all data sharing.
- Download your raw DNA file.
- Request full account deletion + destruction of your saliva sample.
- Email [email protected] to keep your right to sue 4.
Live in California? GIPA gives you the legal right to force deletion of your genetic data and physical sample 3.
Use it.
Also, monitor your credit and personal data. Consider identity theft protection. And keep an eye on updates from the FTC and your state’s AG.
Final Thought: You Gave Them Your DNA. Now What?
We let a startup digitize our genomes for $99 and a novelty ancestry map.
Now it’s bankrupt. And our DNA is a tradable commodity.
Let that be a warning. When you give your most personal data to a company, you’re betting they’ll never fail, get hacked, or get bought by someone worse.
Well…
23andMe just proved that’s a losing bet.
Sources
[1] Privacy Policy – 23andMe
[2] 23andMe files for bankruptcy and will try to find a buyer – CBS News
[3] CT Attorney General Issues Consumer Alert – CT.gov
[4] How to Protect Your Data – CyberGuy
[5] Genetic Testing Company Bankruptcy – HIPAA Journal
[6] 23andMe Bankruptcy Filing Sparks DNA Privacy Fears – NBC LA
[7] Is Your DNA Safe? – heyData
[8] Genetic Information Insecurity as State of the Art – PMC
[9] Genetic Data in Jeopardy – Berkeley Business Review
[16] What Happens to Your Data if 23andMe Collapses – Harvard Gazette
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