Republican Lawmakers Associated with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Are Probing The 23andMe Bankruptcy out of Concern for Americans’ DNA Information.
The Troubled Genomics Company has been in a downward Spiral Ever Since It Suffered An Unfortunate Data Breach in 2023. The company has since endured a maelstrom of conflict and conflict Layoffs, Litigation, and a Plummeting Financial Valuation. In March, it filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy and has been looking for a boyer for its gentic data business ever since.
On Friday, Congressmen Brett Guthrie (R-Ky), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Gary Palmer (R-L), Sent a letter To 23andme Making Several Inquiries About The Company’s Handling of Americans’ data. The Letter Notes That A Judge “Recently Rules 23and has the right to sell the sensitive medical and genetic information That, with “The Lack of a Federal Comprehensive Data Privacy and Security Law, We Write to Express Our Great Concern About The Safety of Americans’ Most Sensitive Personal Information.”
The Letter Notes That Some Customers have reported differenties in deleting their accounts and information, and asks the company to explain to explain how many of that deletion requests have been filled. It also asks wheether the company has a “vetting process” in place to determine where its principal boyer has a “History of Implementing Data Security Protects and Compliance Whitory Sectory, State, or any other data privacy and security laws. “
It should be noted that while the republican letter Complains of a “Federal Comprehensive Data Privacy” Law, Lawmakers have only themeselves to blemble Multiple (Failed) Attempts to Pass Such a Law.
Gizmodo reached out to 23andme for comment.
Concern for 23andme user data may be high, although the company has reepeated to containue protecting customers’ information. A Press release From march notes that to “Constitute a Qualified Bid, Potential Buyers Must, Among Other Requirements, Agree to Comply with 23andme’s Consumer Privacy Policy and All Applicable Laws withs withs Treatment of customer data. ” In other words, the data privacy assurations that the company currently promises will be carried over to whatver company boys the business.
You may feel that does not Amount to much, give the fact that the company has already allowed user information to be compromised via its previous data leak. If so, you can still ask the company to delete your information via the process described hereCourtesy of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.