(NewsNation) — Customers of 23andMe are rightly concerned about what could happen to their DNA profiles now that the ancestry-research company has filed for bankruptcy, attorney and author Matt Murphy says.
“It looks like it’s up for grabs,” he said of the genetic information. “And there doesn’t really seem to be any parameters regarding its use.”
After a customer provides a saliva sample, DNA-testing companies like 23andMe provide a profile of a person’s genetic heritage.
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23andMe had a data breach in 2023 and paid out $30 million to settle a class-action lawsuit. Under bankruptcy, the company’s DNA database of more than 15 million customers could potentially be sold as an asset.
California’s attorney general has told customers in his state to exercise their rights under California law to have their genetic information deleted. 23andMe also has online procedures for customers to delete their data or have physical samples destroyed.
“There’s all kinds of information that could be contained in there, including potential risk of disease or genetic problems,” Murphy said. “Could you be denied a job because you’re at a higher risk for some sort of congenital disease? Could you be denied health insurance? There’s a whole array of potential problems.”
Murphy said courts likely will decide some of these issues.
