Attendees purchase DNA kits at the 23andMe booth at the RootsTech annual genealogical event in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Feb. 28, 2019. (George Frey / Reuters)
Important Takeaways:
- Genetic testing company 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to help the $50 million company sell itself, the company announced Sunday.
- 23andMe’s saliva-based kits have been helping customers learn about their ancestry since 2006, and the company said it will continue operating while the bankruptcy court facilitates the sale process.
- News of the move raised concerns about how the personal data of millions of 23andMe customers will be handled.
- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a “consumer alert” regarding the “trove of sensitive consumer data 23andMe has amassed,” reminding Californians that they have the right to direct the company to delete their genetic data, destroy their test samples and revoke permission for genetic data to be used for research.
- “There are no changes to the way the Company stores, manages, or protects customer data,” 23andMe said in a media release.
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