🫶 It’s a small world after all: A journalist in Georgia uncovered her own adoption story while exposing a baby-trafficking scandal. A DNA test coupled with a Facebook post led her to her biological dad, who, shockingly, had been her Facebook friend for years. Isn’t that strange?
23andMe is a sinking ship – Delete your data
23andMe is going down like a sinking ship, and CEO Anne Wojcicki is waffling on whether to sell. You know what else would be up for sale if she did? The DNA of 23andMe’s 15 million customers.
If you’ve used the genetic testing service, you have every right to be concerned. Depending on who buys it, your genetic information could be used in a whole new way. Here’s the latest on what’s happening and how you can protect yourself.
Why is 23andMe crashing and burning?
When the human genome hype first hit the scene, it came with the promise of personalized health plans meant for your specific needs. The problem is most diseases can’t be narrowed down to a single gene, so DNA data isn’t really all that helpful. Womp, womp.
The other big concern, of course, is privacy (paywall link). Unlike your doctor’s office, 23andMe isn’t bound by HIPAA, which keeps health information protected. Their privacy policy clearly states they have the right to sell off customer information in a merger or acquisition.
Yes, this is the major reason I’ve always cautioned against giving your DNA info to any company.
Right now, 23andMe makes you opt in if they want to use your data for advertising or research. If the company sells, the next one in charge is under no obligation to do the same.
Wojcicki and 23andMe have until Nov. 4 to raise the company’s share price to $1. At the time of writing, it’s sitting at 30 cents … ouch. If they don’t hit a buck, the stock will be delisted. A sale is absolutely on the table.
Who’d want to buy DNA data? I bet insurance companies and the pharmaceutical industry would love to know our deep, dark genetic secrets. That’s a whole lot of info they can use for pricing and even more targeted ads.
Gene-ie in a bottle
If you’ve already handed your data over to 23andMe, the good news is you can delete it yourself before the storm hits. Here’s how:
- Go to your account settings page.
- Find the Delete Your Data option under “23andMe Data.”
40% of employees
Getting laid off at 23andMe. The DNA company narrowly avoided being delisted from the stock exchange after 7 million people’s data was stolen. If you used 23andMe, delete your info, like, now.
After nearly 40 years: Two sisters met for the first time since different families adopted them as babies. They were born just 14 months apart. One grew up in the U.S. and the other in Belgium. After taking a MyHeritage DNA test, one sister sent the other an email that said, “Hey, I think we’re sisters.” Isn’t that something?
Forget shovels and brushes: Today’s archaeologists use cutting-edge tech to uncover ancient secrets. LiDAR sends laser pulses from drones or planes to map the ground and reveal entire lost cities hidden under forests. Advances in DNA sequencing now uncover shocking details about old bones and sacrificial practices. And AI is sifting through scrolls and deciphering text faster than ever. Sounds like a neat job!