California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a consumer alert to customers of 23andMe, a genetic testing company based in California. The company has reported financial distress and expressed concerns about its ability to continue operations. Due to the sensitive nature of the data collected by 23andMe, Attorney General Bonta is reminding Californians of their rights under the Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) and California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) to request the deletion of their genetic data.
“California has robust privacy laws that allow consumers to take control and request that a company delete their genetic data,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Given 23andMe’s reported financial distress, I remind Californians to consider invoking their rights and directing 23andMe to delete their data and destroy any samples of genetic material held by the company.”
Californians who wish to exercise these rights can do so through the 23andMe website. Customers can log into their accounts, navigate to settings, and follow instructions for deleting personal information. This includes downloading a copy of their genetic data if desired before permanently deleting it.
For those who have previously opted for storage of saliva samples or DNA by 23andMe, changes can be made in account settings under "Preferences." Additionally, consent for using genetic data for research purposes can be withdrawn from the "Research and Product Consents" section.
Under GIPA, consumers have the right to delete accounts and genetic data while also having biological samples destroyed. GIPA allows revocation of consent given for collection, use, disclosure of genetic data, and storage of biological samples post-testing. Similarly, CCPA grants consumers the right to delete personal information collected by businesses.
To learn more about CCPA rights, further information is available online.