23andMe is looking to sell customers’ genetic data. Here’s how to delete it

Many 23andMe customers signed up to the genetic testing service in hopes of learning fun or interesting information about their past. But consumer advocates are now urging those users to request the deletion of their accounts and data from the site, to prevent their genetic information from ending up in unexpected hands.

Many 23andMe customers signed up to the genetic testing service in hopes of learning fun or interesting information about their past. But consumer advocates are now urging those users to request the deletion of their accounts and data from the site, to prevent their genetic information from ending up in unexpected hands. San Francisco-based 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sunday and said it would pursue a sale, after years of struggling to find a sustainable business model. That means the company — and the genetic information of its 15 million customers — will likely soon be up for grabs to the highest bidder. At least while the company goes through the sale process, it says it won’t change how it manages or protects customer data. And 23andMe board chair Mark Jensen said in a statement that “data privacy will be an important consideration in any potential transaction.” But a new owner could still mean big changes in how user data is handled and what it’s used for. “There’s health insurance companies that are interested in this data, there’s life insurance companies that are interested in this data,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta told ABC News7 on Monday. Bonta issued a consumer alert on Friday urging users of the site to consider deleting their accounts. Here’s how to delete your 23andMe account — and why it matters.