Idaho AG issues alert on 23andMe bankruptcy and data sale | News [Video]

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador issued a consumer protection alert after 23andMe, the genetic testing company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The company, which provides health and ancestry information based on genetic samples, disclosed that it intends to sell its corporate assets, potentially including customers stored genetic data.

“There is nothing more personal than an individual’s genetic information,” said Attorney General Labrador, “and allowing that to be sold off to the highest bidder raises serious consumer protection concerns for privacy.  I want to make sure that 23andMe customers in Idaho have every opportunity to protect their genetic data.” 

According to online sources, consumers who submitted data can withdraw consent for its storage by following these steps:

1. Log into your account and navigate to Settings.
2. Under Settings, scroll to the section titled 23andMe data. Select View.
3. You may be asked to enter your date of birth for extra security. 
4. In the next section, you’ll be asked which, if any, personal data you’d like …