Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued a consumer alert for customers of 23andMe, a genetic testing and information company. The alert comes after the company publicly reported financial distress, indicating doubts about its ability to continue operations. Attorney General Bonta emphasized Californians' rights under the Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) and California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) to request the deletion of their genetic data.

“California has robust privacy laws that allow consumers to take control and request that a company delete their genetic data,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Given 23andMe’s reported financial distress, I remind Californians to consider invoking their rights and directing 23andMe to delete their data and destroy any samples of genetic material held by the company.”

Customers wishing to delete their account and personal information can do so through several steps on 23andMe's website. This includes downloading personal data before deletion if desired, permanently deleting data, confirming the request via email, changing preferences regarding stored saliva samples, and revoking consent for research use.

Under GIPA, California consumers have the right to delete accounts and genetic data while having biological samples destroyed. Additionally, GIPA allows consumers to revoke consent given for collecting or using genetic data beyond initial testing. The CCPA further supports these rights by enabling consumers to remove personal information from businesses that collect it.

For more details on CCPA protections, additional resources are available online.