2 days ago
AG reminds NH residents of rights in 23andMe bankruptcy filing
The Attorney's General's Office says it has been keeping an eye on 23andMe as part of a multistate investigation into a data breach discovered in October 2023 that led to the exposure of nearly 7 million Americans.
23andMe, a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company that collects and analyzes individuals' genetic data, filed for bankruptcy protection in March.
Attorney General John Formella said the company failed to safeguard the information of its customers and exposed them to significant harm.
'This negligence not only damaged the company's reputation but also violated the trust of those who entrusted their personal data to the company,' Formlla said in a news release.
The office is reminding New Hampshire residents of their rights under the New Hampshire Data Privacy Act. New Hampshire consumers have the right to access, obtain, correct, and delete personal data collected about them. Additionally, consumers have the right to opt out of the processing of their personal data for the purposes of targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, and certain types of profiling, according to the news release.
'Despite the bankruptcy filing, both 23andMe and any potential buyers remain responsible for protecting consumer data," Formella said. 'Additionally, consumers can proactively protect their data by deleting their genetic data, requesting the destruction of their test sample, and revoking authorization for 23andMe to share their data with third-party researchers.'
Consumers can delete their genetic data, request destruction of their test sample, and revoke permission for their data to be used for research through their 23andMe 'Account Settings' page.
23andMe's privacy notice can be found at this link: Consumers who need assistance may contact the New Hampshire Department of Justice, Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau at DOJ-CPB@ or 1-888-468-4454.
