North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is urging residents to delete their personal information from the popular genetic testing company 23andMe, following the company’s recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. The advisory raises serious concerns about the possible sale of sensitive genetic data during bankruptcy proceedings.
“Your genetic data is your most personal, confidential data, and you should be able to protect who has access to it,” said Attorney General Jackson in a public statement. He cautioned that as the bankruptcy case unfolds, North Carolinians’ private health and genetic information could potentially be sold to third-party entities.
Heads up:
If you’re a former 23andMe customer, now’s the time to delete your account.
The company just filed for bankruptcy.
That means your genetic data – the most personal data you have – could be sold.
Here’s how to delete it: 🧵
— Jeff Jackson (@JeffJacksonNC) March 25, 2025
The North Carolina Department of Justice has been actively investigating 23andMe for nearly a year, prompted by a major data breach in October 2023 that exposed the personal information of nearly 7 million customers. The investigation centers on whether the company implemented adequate security measures to protect consumers’ sensitive data, including health and genetic information.
In light of the current risks, Attorney General Jackson’s office released step-by-step instructions for North Carolinians to permanently delete their data from 23andMe’s platform:
1. Log into your 23andMe account.
2. Follow instructions to destroy your test sample or revoke research permissions.
3. Click on your profile and go to “Settings.”
4. Scroll to “23andMe Data” and select “View.”
5. Choose “Delete Data.”
6. Click “Permanently Delete Data.”
7. Confirm your request to finalize the deletion process.
Once confirmed, 23andMe will begin the deletion process, and users will lose access to their accounts.
Attorney General Jackson assured the public that his office is closely monitoring 23andMe’s actions throughout the bankruptcy process. “We will take every necessary step to ensure North Carolinians’ private data is not misused or sold without consent,” he stated.
