23andMe Is Crumbling, and That Means Your Genetic Data Is Blowing in the Breeze

Image by Getty / Futurism Genetics Genetics firm 23andMe, maker of the once-popular take-home DNA testing kits, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, casting a looming shadow over the extremely sensitive user data it's still storing on its servers. The company, which was founded almost two decades ago, has been in severely dire financial traits for years now, struggling to effectively monetize its service, which most customers will only buy once. Now, its cofounder and CEO Anne Wojcicki — a die-hard for the company, who has made several takeover bids — has resigned, leaving behind a shell of its former self. And that could spell a data privacy disaster of unprecedented proportions as 23andMe is more vulnerable than ever to being snatched up by another company — along with its treasure chest of DNA data. In a "consumer alert" to California residents, the state's attorney general Rob Bonta implored them to invoke "their rights" and direct "23andMe to delete their data and destroy any ... Read full article.