DNA testing company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy. Tens of thousands of people are now racing to delete their genome profiles from the company’s website. Multiple media outlets have strongly urged people to take action. Even California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement notifying people that 23andMe is in financial distress and Californians should consider “invoking their rights and directing 23andMe to delete their data and destroy any samples of genetic material held by the company.” New York’s Attorney General Letitia James also encouraged users to take action and get the direct-to-consumer testing company to delete personal data and destroy DNA samples with genetic material. 

The decline of 23andMe: From data breach to bankruptcy

The troubled 23andMe has been going through rough waters over the last few years. In 2023, the company was hacked, and last year, an action lawsuit forced 23andMe to pay victims approximately $30 million in compensation.

23andMe has filed for bankruptcy but continues operating and seeks a buyer to salvage the company. A Missouri court has cleared the DNA testing facility to remain open and pay its employees during the bidding war. Their website receives more than 200k hits per day. 

However, after the news broke out, SimilarWeb reported that the DNA testing company had received its most significant traffic spike in two years. The sudden surge in traffic suggests that people are taking note and, indeed, are rushing to delete their medical profiles. The genome testing provider is believed to have approximately fifteen million users, and the website registered over two million hits in a single day right after it announced the bankruptcy news. 

The risks of 23andMe’s DNA data falling into the wrong hands

Even though the buyer must agree to comply with the company’s consumer privacy policy, users are likely nervous about having their DNA data up for sale. Many speculate that the data could be used maliciously for race-fueled attacks or as a blackmail. Others say it might be bought by law enforcement to use the vast DNA data or fuel bioweapons research. The business could also end up with a foreign enemy-linked company or one unable to protect sensitive information.

You might be interested in: Final post of the series on our cybersecurity survey: Data privacy

There have been so many leaks over the years. Government law enforcement and intelligence agencies already have extremely detailed registers of other identifiable personal information, such as face and fingerprints. So, the chances of this genome data ending in the wrong hands are not high, but they still exist. The overall panic is likely an overreaction. However, privacy-oriented users should consider deleting personal information from the database. Installing proper antivirus solutions on all smart devices is also recommended. This helps in case hackers realize they are missing a piece of the puzzle and launch an attack.

Continue reading: Tesla owners’ details doxxed online on a website called ‘dogequest’