Geoff Bennett:
The genetic testing company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy. And its potential sale has raised alarms about what could happen to the DNA data of its millions of users.
23andMe was once a pioneer in the DNA testing kit industry, allowing customers to send in samples to get information about their heredity and genetics. Yet the company faced backlash after hackers leaked the genetic data of millions of users in 2023. More than 15 million people have provided genetic information to the company.
Privacy and cybersecurity experts are now concerned about what this could all mean.
Ginny Fahs is watching this closely for “Consumer Reports,” and joins us now.
Thanks for being with us.
So what does the sale of 23andMe mean for people’s privacy?
Ginny Fahs, “Consumer Reports”: Well, there are 15 million people who have used 23andMe to create DNA data. People are interested in understanding their family history and their genetics, but the mere creation of this data means that there is highly sensitive information out there.
And because 23andMe is going through bankruptcy and that data could be changing hands, it means that some of the most sensitive data that a consumer can create may be at risk.
