States sue to block the sale of genetic data collected by DNA testing company 23andMe
The suit, filed this week in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of Missouri, comes months after 23andMe began a court-supervised sale process of its assets.
The South San Francisco-based venture was once valued at $6 billion and has collected DNA samples from more than 15 million customers.
The company's bankruptcy has raised questions over privacy standards for genetic data, which experts say is uniquely sensitive, immutable and irreplaceable if stolen. Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia filed the lawsuit, arguing that 23andMe customers have an inherent right to their own genetic information.
Read more: 'People should be worried': 23andMe bankruptcy could expose customers' genetic data
'This isn't just data — it's your DNA," said Oregon Atty. Gen. Dan Rayfield in a statement. "It's personal, permanent, and deeply private. People did not submit their personal data to 23andMe thinking their genetic blueprint would later be sold off to the highest bidder."
23andMe announced in May that it would be sold to New York-based drug maker Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, which had agreed to comply with 23andMe's existing privacy policy. However, a competing offer from nonprofit TTAM Research Institute led the bankruptcy judge to reopen the auction last week.
TTAM is run by 23andMe co-founder Anne Wojcicki, who has made several failed attempts to take the company private.
In a statement, a 23andMe spokesperson said the lawsuit's claims "are without merit" and that the sale of genetic data does not violate privacy regulations.
'Customers will continue to have the same rights and protections in the hands of the winning bidder," the spokesperson said.
Read more: Congressmen sound alarm over data privacy following 23andMe bankruptcy
23andMe customers have the right to delete their genetic information from the company's database at any time, as outlined in the Genetic Information Privacy Act and the California Consumer Privacy Act.
During a testimony in Washington earlier this week, 23andMe interim Chief Executive Joseph Selsavage said that 1.9 million customers have requested their data be deleted since the company's bankruptcy filing in March.
Sara Geoghegan, senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said that 23andMe's privacy policy was subject to change and not adequate to protect customers' data. In an interview in March, she stressed the sensitivity of genetic data.
'I would be very concerned if I had given a swab to 23andMe," she said. "There is little we can do to control what happens to it."
Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Could Connor McDavid Be Broadway-Bound?
The New York Rangers are in the middle of a major reset after missing the playoffs last season. One of the biggest changes they've made is bringing in Mike Sullivan as the new head coach, a move that signals the front office is serious about turning things around. But while the team is focused on this upcoming season, there's growing speculation that the real game-changer might come next summer. MORE: Maple Leafs reportedly interesting in aquiring Jordan Kyrou from the Blues Advertisement Connor McDavid, one of the best players in the NHL, is entering the final year of his contract with the Edmonton Oilers. There's been chatter that he could test free agency if the situation in Edmonton doesn't meet his expectations. If that happens, the Rangers are already being mentioned as a possible destination. Bleacher Report's Adam Gretz recently named New York as a strong landing spot for McDavid. He pointed out that the league would probably welcome the idea of its biggest star playing in one of the league's biggest markets. From the Rangers' perspective, adding a player like McDavid would be a dream scenario that could re-energize fans and the franchise alike. 'The NHL would love to see its biggest star playing in its biggest market, and the Rangers would undoubtedly love to have a franchise-changing player at the top of their lineup,' Gretz said. 'It would go a long way to kick-start excitement in Manhattan, especially after everything went so far off the rails during the 2024-25 season.' McDavid would give the Rangers the kind of elite talent that changes everything, both on the ice and at the box office. His arrival would instantly boost the team's profile and give them a legitimate shot at contending for the Stanley Cup. Advertisement Does the Money Work? Financially, the timing might work out for New York. Several contracts are set to expire after this season, potentially freeing up the kind of cap space needed to make a run at McDavid. A player of his caliber is going to command a massive salary, and there will be no shortage of teams lining up to make their pitch. Still, the allure of New York, the spotlight of Madison Square Garden, and the promise of being the face of the Rangers could be a compelling combination. There's still a lot of hockey to be played between now and next July, and a lot can change. But if McDavid does decide to move on from Edmonton, the Rangers will almost certainly be in the mix. MORE NHL NEWS:
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
No Duh: Suze Orman on Why Parents Shouldn't Be Paying Their Adult Kids' Phone Bills
In one of the most famous — and funniest — scenes from the 2010s-era HBO comedy series 'Girls,' perpetually petulant slacker and aspiring 'voice of a generation' Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) sits across from her parents as they cut her off financially. While Hannah has spent hours at an unpaid internship, bopping around Brooklyn and discovering herself, Mom and Dad have been footing the bill for everything — including her phone. Up Next: For You: 'We can't keep bankrolling your groovy lifestyle,' Mom says, prompting Hannah to insist that she's so close to the life she wants, her parents shouldn't end it now. The scene resonates because it has played out thousands of times in households around the country. Suze Orman, personal finance expert and best-selling author, would likely support Hannah's parents in their choice to make her stand on her own two feet — even if she's generally more in favor of starting with small, gradual steps. In a recent LinkedIn post, Orman emphasized how important it is for parents to stop paying for even seemingly small expenses, like phone bills, to help their children become more financially independent. Orman understands why parents are so tempted to help young adults. After all, cell phone bills and streaming services seem like relatively minor expenses — so why not make your kids' lives easier by covering them? However, Orman urges parents to flip their perspective: If the amount is truly small, that's exactly why young adults should be paying it themselves. Learning to manage even modest bills helps build a strong financial foundation. 'If it's a manageable amount, it won't be hard for them to take on. And that's a key step toward financial independence,' Orman wrote. 'Maybe it's the first bill they put on auto-pay — helping them build responsible habits and a strong credit score. Every step counts on the road to financial freedom!' Learn More: Hannah's parents may have had the right idea, but forcing her into total financial independence without helping her establish a financial safety net first might not be the wisest approach. Orman isn't against parents offering some financial help to their adult children, but she believes it should be structured to help young adults develop financial skills. In addition to having young adults pay for their own phone bills, streaming services, and car insurance, Orman says that adult children who move back home should chip in toward household expenses. Parents don't need to charge their twentysomethings the equivalent of a full market-rate mortgage or rent payment — after all, if they could afford rent, they wouldn't be living at home — but getting them in the habit of budgeting a certain amount to make 'rent' each month helps instill financial discipline. If parents genuinely don't need the extra money, they can always set aside their child's 'rent payments' and later return the funds as the foundation for an emergency savings account. As your children become adults — goodness, where did the time go? — you're nearing the age where retirement planning becomes even more critical. To ensure your own future, you simply can't remain open as the Bank of Mom and Dad. Orman stresses that while parents should encourage their kids to build financial independence, they must also stay focused on their own financial goals — especially retirement. Think of it this way: You've worked hard to build your financial security, and just as your adult children are in their own self-discovery periods, you have the right to start one of your own. More From GOBankingRates 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks This article originally appeared on No Duh: Suze Orman on Why Parents Shouldn't Be Paying Their Adult Kids' Phone Bills
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
No Duh: Suze Orman on Why Parents Shouldn't Be Paying Their Adult Kids' Phone Bills
In one of the most famous — and funniest — scenes from the 2010s-era HBO comedy series 'Girls,' perpetually petulant slacker and aspiring 'voice of a generation' Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) sits across from her parents as they cut her off financially. While Hannah has spent hours at an unpaid internship, bopping around Brooklyn and discovering herself, Mom and Dad have been footing the bill for everything — including her phone. Up Next: For You: 'We can't keep bankrolling your groovy lifestyle,' Mom says, prompting Hannah to insist that she's so close to the life she wants, her parents shouldn't end it now. The scene resonates because it has played out thousands of times in households around the country. Suze Orman, personal finance expert and best-selling author, would likely support Hannah's parents in their choice to make her stand on her own two feet — even if she's generally more in favor of starting with small, gradual steps. In a recent LinkedIn post, Orman emphasized how important it is for parents to stop paying for even seemingly small expenses, like phone bills, to help their children become more financially independent. Orman understands why parents are so tempted to help young adults. After all, cell phone bills and streaming services seem like relatively minor expenses — so why not make your kids' lives easier by covering them? However, Orman urges parents to flip their perspective: If the amount is truly small, that's exactly why young adults should be paying it themselves. Learning to manage even modest bills helps build a strong financial foundation. 'If it's a manageable amount, it won't be hard for them to take on. And that's a key step toward financial independence,' Orman wrote. 'Maybe it's the first bill they put on auto-pay — helping them build responsible habits and a strong credit score. Every step counts on the road to financial freedom!' Learn More: Hannah's parents may have had the right idea, but forcing her into total financial independence without helping her establish a financial safety net first might not be the wisest approach. Orman isn't against parents offering some financial help to their adult children, but she believes it should be structured to help young adults develop financial skills. In addition to having young adults pay for their own phone bills, streaming services, and car insurance, Orman says that adult children who move back home should chip in toward household expenses. Parents don't need to charge their twentysomethings the equivalent of a full market-rate mortgage or rent payment — after all, if they could afford rent, they wouldn't be living at home — but getting them in the habit of budgeting a certain amount to make 'rent' each month helps instill financial discipline. If parents genuinely don't need the extra money, they can always set aside their child's 'rent payments' and later return the funds as the foundation for an emergency savings account. As your children become adults — goodness, where did the time go? — you're nearing the age where retirement planning becomes even more critical. To ensure your own future, you simply can't remain open as the Bank of Mom and Dad. Orman stresses that while parents should encourage their kids to build financial independence, they must also stay focused on their own financial goals — especially retirement. Think of it this way: You've worked hard to build your financial security, and just as your adult children are in their own self-discovery periods, you have the right to start one of your own. More From GOBankingRates 8 Common Mistakes Retirees Make With Their Social Security Checks This article originally appeared on No Duh: Suze Orman on Why Parents Shouldn't Be Paying Their Adult Kids' Phone Bills
