23andMe about to go under and sell off your genetic data to whatever sketchy situation

[azurelunatic]

https://archive.is/iNFaf

You can delete your shit if you've used it, probably, particularly if you're in California (which has a strong delete your shit law).

Comments

[alexseanchai]

fucksake

I never did the thing but I have zero idea whether anyone related to me has; it may or may not dovetail with Dad's and Grandma's interest in genealogy

[syntaxofthings]

I heard this on the news this morning and thought how glad I am that I never did this. I'm honestly surprised that it's declaring bankruptcy as I expected the genetic information trend to only just be getting started. I guess it's a good reminder that most companies are being run in such a way that they're always close to bankruptcy.

Really wish my state would pass some extra data protection laws. CA's are a great model.

[redbird]

My guess would be that they've run out of likely/interested customers, and that almost nobody actually needs this information. When people are tightening their belts, this is an easy purchase not to make.

[castiron]

And the people who do want to do DNA testing for genealogical purposes are testing at Ancestry or maybe MyHeritage or FTDNA, because they're all set up better for genealogy. 23andMe sucks for that.

[syntaxofthings]

If it's not good at genealogical information, what is it good for???? I'm so confused by these things. (Not to say that I'm totally against genetic testing - I did genetic testing a few years ago to see if I have the genes for certain cancers. But these companies just seem shady as hell to me.)

[syntaxofthings]

Fair point! There's only so much data they can get from biological samples.

[rydra_wong]

Thanks for the reminder!

ICYMI

[pauamma]

Can, certainly. Need to? I trust Rahaeli on that point, and she says it's very unlikely a risk (upthread and downthread for the whole rant, which touches on what she calls "the gimp tax").

Re: ICYMI

[azurelunatic]

Good to know, thanks

[silveradept]

Have not used the service, but I can understand a lot of people having a big upset about their genetic sequences being available on the open market. Even if it's not something that anything can be retrieved or used.