\n At least while the company goes through the sale process, it says it won\u2019t change how it manages or protects customer data. And 23andMe board chair Mark Jensen said in a statement<\/a> that \u201cdata privacy will be an important consideration in any potential transaction.\u201d\n <\/p>\n \n But a new owner could still mean big changes in how user data is handled and what it\u2019s used for.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cThere\u2019s health insurance companies that are interested in this data, there\u2019s life insurance companies that are interested in this data,\u201d California Attorney General Rob Bonta told ABC News7<\/a> on Monday. Bonta issued a consumer alert<\/a> on Friday urging users of the site to consider deleting their accounts. On Monday, New York Attorney General Letitia James also issued an alert<\/a> encouraging customers to \u201ctake action to safeguard their data\u201d amid 23andMe\u2019s bankruptcy proceedings.\n <\/p>\n \n Here\u2019s how to delete your 23andMe account \u2014 and why it matters.\n <\/p>\n \n 23andMe has tried to reassure customers by pointing to its privacy policy, which currently states that the company won\u2019t sell customers\u2019 identifiable genetic data, and that they\u2019ll only share data with researchers if customers opt in.\n <\/p>\n \n The privacy policy<\/a> states that if users\u2019 data is sold as part of a bankruptcy or acquisition, the same provisions will apply to that personal information under the new entity. But the policy also states that it can be changed at any time.\n <\/p>\n The popularity of for-profit genetic testing services like Ancestry and 23andMe has skyrocketed in recent years. These tests can teach users more about their ancestry or health. But they can also have some unexpected outcomes. 23andMe recently filed for bankruptcy to pursue a sale, raising questions about what could happen to users\u2019 data under a new owner. University of Iowa law professor Anya Prince digs into the privacy considerations around sharing your DNA. Plus, Alexis Hourselt of the DNA Surprises podcast shares her own journey with genetic testing.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re navigating an unexpected discovery about your family because of a genetic testing service, 23andMe has a support page here.<\/p>\n Mar 25, 2025 \u2022 33 min<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n \n \u201cThat\u2019s just standard language in companies\u2019 privacy policies,\u201d Anya Prince, law professor at the University of Iowa College of Law, said in an interview with CNN\u2019s Terms of Service podcast.\n <\/p>\n \n And that matters because people\u2019s DNA can reveal more than just insights into their family history \u2014 it could also be used, for example, to tell something about their future health outlook. Data from online genetics services have also been used by law enforcement to help solve crimes, although 23andMe\u2019s current policy says it won\u2019t share information with police without a legally valid warrant.\n <\/p>\n \n There is a federal law, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, that prohibits employers and health insurances companies from discriminating based on genetic information, but the law is not \u201cfoolproof\u201d and doesn\u2019t apply to life insurance companies and other types of services, Prince said.\n <\/p>\n \n \u201cTheoretically, the new company could have a similar ethos that the consumer feels good about, but the new company might have a completely different ethos,\u201d Prince said.\n <\/p>\n![\"Terms](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/square.jpg\")
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\n Terms of Service with Clare Duffy
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\n Online Genetic Testing: How Private Is Your DNA?<\/a><\/p>\n