Podcast - Who Owns Your DNA? Lessons Learned from 23andMe
In the legal industry, handling business transactions is part of our daily routine. Managing the transfer of personal data during acquisitions, sales, mergers or bankruptcy proceedings has become second nature to us. We...more
The court-appointed Consumer Privacy Ombudsman (CPO) in the 23andMe bankruptcy last month released a 200-plus-page report assessing the privacy implications of the proposed sale of 23andMe’s assets as part of its Chapter 11...more
Welcome to the Summer of Privacy! As we hit the middle of 2025, California is once again the focus of our attention, as both its legislators and regulators are attempting to square privacy protections with developing...more
After Foley Hoag’s prior updates regarding the chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of 23andMe Holding Co and its affiliated debtors (collectively, “23andMe”), the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri...more
The dramatic increase in global reach that the internet provides U.S.-based companies comes as a double edge sword. While it significantly increases a company’s potential customer pool, it also subjects companies to...more
En 2023, une cyberattaque d’envergure a exposé les données génétiques personnelles de millions d’utilisateurs de 23andMe, une société américaine offrant des services d’analyse du code génétique aux particuliers, poussant les...more
On June 5, 2025, the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) fined 23andMe £2.31 million (~$3.1 million). The fine was for failing to implement adequate security measures to protect the personal data of over 155,000 UK...more
Last month Restructuring Perspectives highlighted crucial issues at the intersection of privacy and distress presented by the Chapter 11 case of 23andMe. Specifically, “Data for Sale” discussed the recent appointment of a...more
On June 17, 2025, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) released a summary of its investigation findings regarding a data breach at 23andMe, which affected nearly seven million customers, including...more
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US: • Connecticut Law Aims to Weed Out Illegal Sales of...more
A bipartisan coalition of 28 AGs have filed a lawsuit against 23andMe Holding Co. and 23andMe, Inc. (collectively “23andMe”) to protect human genetic data collected by the company from being sold without consumers’ consent as...more
To help our clients and readers sort through the volume of privacy, cyber, and AI news, we are switching Privacy, Cyber, & AI Decoded to a summary format. In this first edition, we look at a proposed 10-year moratorium on...more
When direct-to-consumer genetic testing company 23andMe Holding Co. and its affiliates (together, “23andMe”) filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 24, 2025, they possessed data from over 15 million customers. Specifically,...more
What happens to sensitive personal information shared by consumers when the company collecting that information encounters financial distress? That exact issue is currently front and center in the Chapter 11 proceedings of...more
There is nothing more inherently unique and personal to an individual than his or her DNA. Unlike many other types of personal information, a person’s DNA is immutable. It can be the key to unlocking extremely sensitive...more
In the first episode of a "Florida Capital Conversations" new healthcare privacy series, Tallahassee healthcare attorneys Shannon Hartsfield and Eddie Williams discuss the evolving landscape of genetic data privacy, focusing...more
Welcome to our fourth issue of 2025 of Decoded - our technology law insights e-newsletter. We hope you enjoy this issue and thank you for reading. Sector by Sector: How Data Breaches are Wrecking Bottom Lines - “Data...more
Consumers have been trading their DNA for a personal genetic history lesson with 23andMe since 2007. The company has since become extremely popular and has collected a trove of genetic information relating to more than 14...more
On March 23, 2025, 23andMe, along with its affiliates, filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company’s decision to file for bankruptcy follows in the wake of a 2023 data breach affecting close to 7 million customer...more
As noted in our last two client alerts, the issue as to who should be the watchdog to protect consumer personal data is coming to a head in the chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of 23andMe Holding Co and its affiliated debtors...more
23andMe’s recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing has sparked significant concerns over the privacy and security of genetic data belonging to its 15 million customers. Founded in 2006, 23andMe built its business around...more
23andMe, a pioneer in the DNA testing kit industry, announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and recently asked to select an independent customer data representative regarding any sale of user data....more
Since its 2006 founding, 23andMe’s (the “Company”) service of collecting, analyzing, and reporting customers’ genetic information has raised privacy concerns among many. Worsening those concerns, the Company filed for...more
On March 23, 2025, 23andMe Holding Co. (“23andMe”) filed for bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Missouri, potentially setting in motion the sale of genetic data collected from more than 15 million people. This has led to...more
Several state attorneys general (AGs) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have begun scrutinizing ancestry tracking company 23andMe following its recent announcement that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. As part of...more