Idaho AG issues consumer protection alert after 23andMe files for bankruptcy
BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced a consumer protection alert after a genetic services company filed for bankruptcy.
Labrador announced the alert on Monday after 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company offers genetic services to the public and said that it plans to sell its corporate assets, which may include customers' genetic data, according to a press release from Labrador’s office.
“There is nothing more personal than an individual’s genetic information,” said Attorney General Labrador, “and allowing that to be sold off to the highest bidder raises serious consumer protection concerns for privacy. I want to make sure that 23andMe customers in Idaho have every opportunity to protect their genetic data.”
Labrador provided specific instructions on withdrawing consent for the company to store their genetic data:
- Log into your account and navigate to Settings.
- Under Settings, scroll to the section titled 23andMe data. Select View.
- You may be asked to enter your date of birth for extra security.
- In the next section, you’ll be asked which, if any, personal data you’d like to download from the company (onto a personal, not public, computer). Once finished, scroll to the bottom and select Permanently delete data.
- You should then receive an email from 23andMe detailing its account deletion policy and requesting that you confirm your request. Once you confirm you’d like your data deleted, the deletion will begin automatically, and you’ll immediately lose access to your account.
Consumers can request that companies like 23andMe delete stored information on the Consumer Reports App or through the company itself, according to Labrador.
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