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The Atlantic

23andMe’s trove of genetic data might be its most valuable asset

The Atlantic
Summary
Nutrition label

75% Informative

23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki has said she’ll consider selling the company’s DNA of its 15 million customers.

DNA might contain health information, but the company is not bound by the health-privacy law HIPAA .

The company's privacy policies make clear that in the event of a merger or an acquisition, customer information is a salable asset.

23andMe has until November 4 to raise its shares to at least $1 , or be delisted.

The risk of DNA data being misused has existed since DNA tests first became available.

There are only so many people who want to know about their Swedish ancestry.

VR Score

74

Informative language

75

Neutral language

68

Article tone

informal

Language

English

Language complexity

48

Offensive language

not offensive

Hate speech

not hateful

Attention-grabbing headline

detected

Known propaganda techniques

not detected

Time-value

short-lived

External references

16

https://investors.23andme.com/node/9936/htmlhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-08-08/23andme-s-quarterly-sales-miss-estimates-as-ceo-seeks-control?srnd=undefinedhttps://www.reuters.com/technology/cybersecurity/23andme-settles-data-breach-lawsuit-30-million-2024-09-13/http://www.ginahelp.org/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-05/the-risks-of-sharing-your-dna-with-genetic-testing-firms-like-23andme?embedded-checkout=truehttps://www.23andme.com/legal/privacy/full-version/https://www.army.mil/article/232314/osd_advises_service_members_against_using_dtc_genetic_testinghttps://privacyrights.org/resources/genetic-information-privacy-act-california#:~:text=The%20Genetic%20Information%20Privacy%20Act,with%20access%20and%20deletion%20rights.https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-27/do-genetic-tests-need-doctors-fda-defends-its-challenge-to-23andmehttps://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/23andme-ceo-wojcicki-open-third-party-takeover-proposals-firm-filing-shows-2024-09-11/https://www.fastcompany.com/3055710/if-you-want-life-insurance-think-twice-before-getting-genetic-testinghttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-01/major-dna-testing-company-is-sharing-genetic-data-with-the-fbihttps://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/sep/18/23andme-directors-resignhttps://www.gedmatch.com/join-the-genetic-witness-program/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-15/deleting-your-online-dna-data-is-brutally-difficulthttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-05-15/23andme-s-dna-test-drama-shows-limits-of-what-genetics-can-do

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