The 23ndme DNA test service has undergone a serious disturbance in recent months, creating concerns to buy 15 million customers who have entrusted the company with their personal biological information. After submitting it to obtain protection from Chapter 11 of bankruptcy in March, the company became a center for the bid war that ended on Friday when the participating founder Ann Wajiki said that she succeeded in re -stopping control through its non -profit institute of TTAM research for $ 305 million.
The bankruptcy procedures had sent a shock through the genetic testing industry and the privacy advocates, where security experts and legislators urge customers to take immediate measures to protect their data. The interim CEO of the company revealed this week that 1.9 million people, about 15 % of the 23ndme customer base, have already requested to delete their genetic data from the company’s servers.
The situation became more complicated last week after more than twenty countries The lawsuits submitted The challenge of selling private data to customers, on the pretext that 23andme must obtain clear approval before transferring or selling personal information to any new entity.
Although the company’s policies mean that you cannot delete all the effects of your genetic data – especially the information that may have already been shared with research partners or stored in backup systems – if you are one of 15 million people who share their DNA with 23andme, there are still meaningful steps that you can take to protect yourself and reduce your exposure.
How to delete your 23ndme data
To delete your data from 23andme, you need to log in to your account and then follow these steps:
- Go to Settings Part of your profile.
- Spread down to the named 23andme data.
- Click view Option and scroll to Delete data to divide.
- Set Delete the data permanently button.
You will then receive an email from 23andme with a link that allows you to confirm your deletion request.
You can choose to download a copy of your data before deleting it.
There is an important warning, as the 23ndme privacy policy states that the company and its laboratories “will keep your genetic information, date of birth and sex as required to comply with the applicable legal obligations.”
Policy continues: “23andme will also maintain limited information related to your account request and request to delete data, including but not limited to, your email address, account request for account account, communications related to inquiries, complaints and legal agreements for a limited time of time as required through contractual obligations,/or as a necessity to establish, exercise, defend legal and subscribe.”
This means mainly that 23andme may keep some of your information to get an unspecified time.
How to destroy your 23ndme test sample and cancel the permission to use your data to search
If you chose previously that your saliva sample and DNA are stored by 23andme, you can change this setting.
To cancel your permission, go to your 23ndme account settings page and then go to Preferences.
In addition, if you agreed to 23andme and third -party researchers using your genetic data and a search sample, you can withdraw approval from Research and product approvals Divide your account settings.
Although you can reflect this approval, there is no way to delete this information.
Check with your family members
Once you ask to delete your data, it is important to log in with your family members and encourage them to do the same because not only their DNA exposed to the risk of sale – it also affects the people who are associated with them.
While you are in it, it is worth logging in with your friends to make sure that all your loved ones take steps to protect their data.
This story was originally published on March 25 and was updated on June 11 with new information.
