OAKLAND, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta don issue consumer alert for customers wey dey use 23andMe, di genetic testing company. Dis alert land on March 21, 2025, after 23andMe report say dem dey face financial trouble and get serious doubt about di ability to continue di business.
Due to di plenty sensitive consumer data wey 23andMe don collect, Bonta wan remind Californians sey dem get right under di Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) and di California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) to direct di deletion of dia genetic data. People wey wan use dis right fit go 23andMe website.
“California get strong privacy laws wey allow consumers to take control and request companies to delete dia genetic data,” Bonta talk. “As 23andMe dey report financial trouble, I dey urge Californians to consider invoking dia rights and direct 23andMe to delete dia data and destroy any samples wey di company hold.”
For those wey wan delete dia genetic data from 23andMe, dem fit follow dis steps: first, log into your 23andMe account for dia website. Next, go di ‘Settings’ section of your profile. Scroll to where dem write ’23andMe Data’ for di bottom of di page. Click ‘View’ next to ’23andMe Data’. If you wan copy your genetic data for personal storage, choose di option to download am to your device before you continue. After that, scroll to di ‘Delete Data’ section, click ‘Permanently Delete Data,’ and confirm your request. You go receive email from 23andMe; just follow di link for di email to confirm your deletion request.
If you don choose to store your saliva sample and DNA with 23andMe but you wan change am, you fit do so from your account settings under ‘Preferences.’ Also, if you’ve consented to allow 23andMe and third-party researchers use your genetic data for research, you fit withdraw consent from your account settings under ‘Research and Product Consents.’
Under di GIPA, Californians fit delete dia account and genetic data while ensuring say dia biological sample dey destroyed. GIPA also give California consumers di right to revoke any consent wey dem don give legal testing companies to collect, use, and disclose dia genetic data and store biological samples after di testing don finish.
Di CCPA also give California consumers di right to delete personal information, which include genetic data, from businesses wey collect personal information from dem. For more information about di CCPA, people fit check di California Attorney General’s website.
