The 23andme genetic test, once beloved to the Silicon Valley worth $ 6 billion, submitted an application for bankruptcy protection in Chapter 11 delayed Sunday, because it is preparing for the sale of the company. CEO Anne Wojcicki, who co -founded the company in 2006, also gave way after months of unsuccessful attempts to make a private company.
When the uncertainty about the company’s future reaches its peak, all eyes are at a deeply personal – and potentially valuable – genetic 23andme data. Privacy supporters have long warned that the risk of entrusting the genetic data of each institution is twofold – the organization may not protect them, but it can also provide customer data to a fresh entity that they cannot fail or choose.
The prosecutor general of California Rob Bont reminded the consumers Alert On Friday, Californians have the right to ask to delete their data. 23andme customers in other states and countries do not have the same security, although there is also the right to delete health data at My Health My Data My Health My Health My Health My Health My Data Act and the general regulation of European Union data protection. Regardless of your stay, all 23andme clients should consider downloading everything they want to keep before the service and then try to delete their information.
“This situation really brings home that in the US there is no domestic right to health privacy that protects your rights unless you live in California or Washington,” says Andrea Downing, an independent security researcher and co -founder of digital rights run by patients. “Meanwhile, we are still evolving our understanding of how genetic information is of value, but also has exceptional susceptibility.”
John Verdi, a senior vice president of politics in the Future of Privacy Forum, claims that the fresh 23andme owner may revise the company’s privacy policy for fresh customers and fresh data collection, but the data he has already collected from current customers is subject to existing conditions. “The company has legal obligations regarding information collected on the basis of current rules,” he says.
Despite this, scientists emphasize that in practice such a vast transition will create a real data exposure, which is beyond 23andme customer control. “In my opinion, these privacy policies – especially in the context of acquisitions in the Venture Capital and Private Equity space – were not worth the paper on which they are printed,” says a longtime security researcher and a privacy lawyer of Kenn White data. “In the case of ordinary people who use these services, you are actually alone. I advise you to ask you to delete data as soon as possible”
To delete genetic data via the 23ndme website, log in, and then go to Settings in your profile. Scroll to 23andme data and then click View. At this point, you can download a copy of your genetic information. Then scroll to Delete and click Permanently delete data. After initiating the process, you will receive E -Mail with 23andme to confirm. Click the We -mail link to complete the removal process. In addition, you can direct 23andme to destroy the biological sample that was used to separate DNA data if you have previously authorized the company to keep them. Go to Settings Then Preferences.