Signal Consumer DNA firm sold over 12 million kits and filed for bankruptcy in 2025

Summary

The consumer genetics company 23andMe has sold more than 12 million DNA kits since 2006. The report presents it as a for-profit private data holder, in contrast to public bodies such as UK Biobank. When 23andMe filed for bankruptcy in 2025, some warned customers to delete their data from the company's website. The case shows how sensitive biological data gathered by private firms can be put at risk by a company's fortunes. The report sees the public and private split in genetic data ownership as a challenge for access and oversight, and identifies privacy risks and exposure of sensitive health information as key vulnerabilities.