“Genetic data is immutable and can reveal very personal details about you and your family members,” the Electronic Frontier Foundation cautioned in a blog post about 23andMe’s potential sale last year. If your relatives have used 23andMe in the past, your data is also at risk.
Because some DNA is passed on from parent to child, there’s a strong correlation between the genetic material of people within the same family. If anyone in your family has provided a genetic sample to 23andMe (or another DNA test kit maker), the company already knows something about you—even if you’ve never personally given them your data. If you know that a relative has used 23andMe, consider reaching out to ask them to delete their data.
The privacy…
