23andMe Faces Legal Fire for Genetic Data Sale

New York – In a shocking move to safeguard consumer privacy, New York Attorney General Letitia James has joined forces with 27 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against 23andMe. The tech giant’s plans to auction off the genetic data of 15 million customers without consent have sparked a fierce legal battle.

23andMe, known for its direct-to-consumer DNA testing services, filed for bankruptcy last March and revealed intentions to sell its assets, including sensitive genetic information. The lawsuit argues that such a sale would violate customer trust and pose significant risks of misuse or exposure in future data breaches.

“23andMe cannot auction millions of people’s personal genetic information without their consent,” James emphasized. “New Yorkers trusted the company with their private information, and they deserve to know how it will be used.”

The coalition asserts that any sale of genetic data must comply with state laws requiring explicit, informed consent from each customer. The AGs’ office issued a consumer alert last March, advising New Yorkers to delete their personal data and destroy genetic material samples held by 23andMe.

Joining James in this lawsuit are attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

This legal challenge underscores the ongoing struggle to balance technological innovation with consumer protection in an increasingly digitized world. As 23andMe faces a potential court battle, the future of genetic data privacy remains a hot-button issue.