AG Coleman encourages Kentuckians to delete 23andMe data
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Attorney General Russell Coleman issued a consumer alert and encouraged Kentuckians to protect their genetic data following 23andMe's bankruptcy announcement.
Officials say the California-based 23andMe collects and analyzes people's genetic code and uses DNA samples for a variety of purposes, including helping people trace their ancestry and detect personal health risks. The company, which filed for bankruptcy last month, announced plans to sell its assets. Given the sensitive consumer data 23andMe has amassed, Attorney General Coleman is reminding Kentuckians of their rights under the Kentucky Genetic Information Privacy Act. Kentuckians have the right to delete the consumer's account and genetic data and the right to request and obtain the destruction of any samples of genetic material held by the company.
'We have laws in place that protect Kentuckians' rights and their personal information,' said Attorney General Coleman. 'Every Kentuckian who did business with 23andMe should consider taking the proper steps to safeguard their sensitive information.'
AG Coleman says consumers can delete their account and personal information by taking the following steps:
Log into their 23andMe account on the company's website.
Go to the 'Settings' section of the person's profile.
Scroll to a section labeled '23andMe Data' at the bottom of the page.
Click 'View' next to '23andMe Data.'
Download the data: If anyone wants a copy of their genetic data for personal storage, they should choose the option to download it to their device before proceeding.
Scroll to the 'Delete Data' section.
Click 'Permanently Delete Data.'
Confirm the request: The person will receive an email from 23andMe. People should follow the link in the email to confirm their deletion request.
To destroy the 23andMe test sample
Officials say if someone has previously opted to have their saliva sample and DNA stored by 23andMe, but if they want to change that preference, they can do so from their account settings page, under 'Preferences.'
To revoke permission for the genetic data to be used for research
AG Coleman says if someone previously consented to 23andMe and third-party researchers using their genetic data and sample for research, the person may withdraw consent from the account settings page under 'Research and Product Consents.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
31 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Meta Announces Scale AI Investment, Recruits CEO to AI Unit
Meta Platforms Inc. said it finalized a multibillion-dollar investment in Scale AI and recruited the startup's chief executive officer to help oversee its artificial intelligence efforts — an unusual deal that signals a heightened push by the social media giant to catch up on AI development. Meta said Thursday that it has backed Scale, without including details. The size of the investment was $14.3 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter. The new $29 billion valuation includes the money raised, said the person, who asked not to be idenified discussing private information.
New York Post
40 minutes ago
- New York Post
FTC could bar Omnicom, Interpublic from boycotting sites over political views as merger condition: report
The Federal Trade Commission could reportedly bar advertising giants Omnicom and Interpublic from suppressing ads to websites over their political views as a condition for approving their pending merger. The FTC, led by President Trump-nominated chairman Andrew Ferguson, is considering imposing the consent decree as it engages in a broader effort to investigate and stop collusive ad boycotts that unfairly target conservative media. New York City-based Omnicom was among the companies called out by House Judiciary Committee chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) over its involvement with the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, a left-leaning advertising cartel that allegedly sought to defund news outlets and platforms, including The Post. Advertisement 3 The FTC is currently reviewing a $13.25 billion all-stock deal between the two ad giants. Bloomberg via Getty Images Jordan launched an investigation into Omnicom after the merger was first announced last December. The FTC is currently reviewing a $13.25 billion all-stock deal between the two ad giants. Advertisement If approved, the combined entitles would form the largest ad agency in the world, with around $25 billion in annual revenue. The terms of the merger deal are still under review and have yet to be finalized, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing a source familiar with the matter. Representatives for the FTC, Omnicom and Interpublic did not immediately return The Post's request for comment. 3 The Omnicom and Interpublic merger deal was first announced in December. REUTERS Advertisement The FTC's move points 'to a much more highly politicized environment for agencies than we have ever seen before, at least in the United States,' analyst Brian Wieser wrote in a midyear industry update on Tuesday that was cited by the New York Times, which first reported on the proposed consent decree. Fergson has said that any boycotts organized by advertisers can be illegal because they involve coordinated refusals to do business, which may restrict competition. Earlier this week, the FTC requested documents from top ad agencies, including Omnicon, Interpublic, WPP, Dentsu, Havas and Publicis, as part of a broad review into whether the firms had violated antitrust law by participating in boycotts against certain news outlets. The FTC is also targeting so-called watchdogs like Media Matters and Ad Fontes Media in the investigation and in May requested documents about their dealings with a dozen firms, the Wall Street Journal reported. Advertisement 3 Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Andrew Ferguson, testifies during a House Committee on Appropriations – Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government on a oversight hearing of the US Federal Trade Commission on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 15, 2025. AFP via Getty Images The probe is focused in part on how the firms dealt with Elon Musk's X, which suffered a mass exodus of advertisers after the mogul bought the social media company formerly known as Twitter in 2022 and loosened its content moderation practices. The agency's letter to Media Matters requested 'all documents that Media Matters either produced or received in discovery in any litigation between Media Matters and X Corp. related to advertiser boycotts since 2023.' Last year, Musk filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers and its now-defunct GARM initiative, which shut its doors after the suit was filed. X CEO Linda Yaccarino told The Post at the time that the entire online advertising ecosystem was 'broken' as a result of the alleged boycotts. 'We were victimized by a small group of people pushing their authority or ability to monopolize what gets monetized,' Yaccarino said. With Post wires
E&E News
an hour ago
- E&E News
States sue Trump over move to bar Calif. EV mandate
California sued the Trump administration Thursday to defend its ability to set tough vehicle emissions rules, minutes after President Donald Trump signed legislation to prevent the state's electric vehicle mandate from taking effect. Attorney General Rob Bonta (D), joined by attorneys general from 10 other blue states, filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claiming that Trump's move is an 'unprecedented and illegal use' of the Congressional Review Act, which he said should apply only to federal rules. Bonta, who noted the lawsuit was the 26th he's filed against the administration since Trump took office in January, argued that the Clean Air Act waivers that give California the authority to set standards stricter than the federal government have never been considered rules subject to the Congressional Review Act. Advertisement 'What we're seeing is a thinly veiled attempt by the president to retaliate against California for choosing progress over regression,' Bonta said, charging that the rollback is not only unlawful but 'irrational and wildly partisan' and comes at 'the direct expense of the health and the well being of our people.'
