23AndMe is up for sale after going bankrupt and people are rushing to delete their accounts – but there’s a chance your data is already out there.
The company holds the genetic data of 14 million people. 23AndMe filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. after struggling to retain customers, and also because of a 2023 data breach that damaged its reputation.
Listen to a new season of Secrets We Keep | Should I Spit?
In October that year, nearly 7 million people were affected by a security breach that allowed hackers to access their information. Some ended up on a dark web hacker forum.
Oonce you give your DNA, you can’t control where it goes or how it’s used.
A new season of Secrets We Keep called Should I Spit? spoke to CEO of Eleven Therapeutics Yaniv Erlich.
“DNA is immutable, right? You’re born with it. You cannot change it. It’s not like your credit card. It’s not like your address. It’s not like your phone number,” Erlich said.
More from LiSTNR Newsroom: Should you take that DNA test? The dark side of genetic testing
Who wants your genetic data?
Investigative journalist Claire Aird says your DNA is incredibly valuable.
That’s shown by the number of people who want it – including police, multi-billion dollar companies, private equity and even a very powerful religion.
To hear how your genetic information can be used, listen to a new season of Secrets We Keep | Should I Spit?