As genetic testing company 23andMe heads to bankruptcy court, there is a lot of data at stake. The company, which analyses DNA through its salvia test kits and offers information about customers’ ancestry, health traits, and genetic risks, now seeks “authorization from the Court to commence a process to sell substantially all of its assets through a chapter 11 plan,” according to 23andMe’s press release.
Your DNA data could be part of those assets. A close reading of the bankruptcy docket shows the company’s terms of service appear to allow 23andMe to transfer personally identifiable information in the event of “bankruptcy, merger, acquisition, reorganization or sale of assets.” That could mean millions of customers may have signed away their rights to their own DNA and genetic material without realizing it, paving the way for 23andMe to sell it to whomever buys their assets.
The bankruptcy comes after the company rejected previous acquisition offers; saw a steep decline in market value, in part due to a 2023 data breach that impacted millions of customers; and experienced a fair share of company drama, including the resignation of the board.
If you’re one of the millions of people who shared your DNA with 23andMe, it’s now a good time to delete your data. That’s as New York’s Attorney General issued a rare “consumer alert” on Tuesday urging 23andMe customers to delete their accounts and data, following a similar warning from California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta on Friday, in which Bonta said customers should also ask California-based 23andMe to “destroy any samples of genetic material held by the company.”
23andMe customers take to social media to complain about deleting data
However, as many customers scramble to delete their data to protect their privacy, some are finding that it hasn’t been as easy or straightforward as they had hoped. And they’re taking to social media to air their complaints.
On a Reddit thread, a number of 23andMe customers said they are having trouble actually deleting their data, including Reddit user jacmrose, who complained, “tried canceling and never got the email they are supposed to send to confirm.” Another user responded, “I have tried 3 times over the last few months and NEVER got the email to confirm deletion.”
Over on X, another social media user reported that people trying to delete their 23andMe DNA data are facing website issues, displaying the proof: a photo of an error message.
That same user also shared another observation: “[people] who think they deleted it get a confirmation emailbut buried inside is a link they still have to click to ‘complete’ deletion.”
“Looks like they really don’t want us to delete the data,” that user wrote.
How do I delete my 23andMe data and test sample?
According to a press release from the California Attorney General’s office, here’s how to delete your data on 23andMe:
Log into your 23andMe account on the website
Go to the Settings section of your profile
Scroll to a section labeled 23andMe Data at the bottom of the page
Click View next to 23andMe Data
Download your data: If you want a copy of your genetic data for personal storage, choose the option to download it to your device before proceeding
Scroll to the Delete Data section
Click Permanently Delete Data
Confirm your request: Youll receive an email from 23andMe; follow the link in the email to confirm your deletion request
Make sure to double check your spam box for that confirmation email, or visit 23andMe’s Help Page with any questions.
If you previously opted to have your saliva sample and DNA stored by 23andMe, but want to change that preference to destroy your test sample, you can do so from your account settings page, under Preferences.
If you previously consented to 23andMe and third-party researchers using your genetic data and sample for research, you may withdraw consent from the account settings page, under Research and Product Consents.
If you live in another state besides California, you can also take these steps as a precaution, but check with your local state consumer protection agency for the laws governing your home state.
