How to… delete your 23andMe data

In addition to laboratories that treat salivary samples, the company does not share customer information with anyone else unless the user is given permission to that, the spokesman, including employers, insurance companies, law enforcement agencies, or any general databases.

“We are dealing with law enforcement inquiries, such as a valid summons or a court order, with the utmost risk. We use all legal measures to resist any and all requests to protect the privacy of our customers.” “Until now, we have succeeded in challenging these requests and we have not issued any law enforcement information.”

For those who still want to delete their data, here is how to do this.

How to delete your data from 23andme

1. Log in to your account and go to Settings.
2. under SettingsGo to the department entitled 23andme data. He chooses view.
3. You may be asked to enter your birth date for additional security.
4. In the next section, you will be asked about personal data, if any, that you want to download from the company (on a personal computer, not a year,). Once you are finished, scroll down and choose Delete the data permanently.
5. You should then receive an email from 23andme, which shows the detail of its account deleting its account and request to confirm your request. Once you are confirmed that you want to delete your data, the deletion will start automatically and immediately lose access to your account.

What about your genetic sample?

When you prepare your 23ndme account, you give the option either to destroy your saliva sample or to store it for the future test. If you have previously chose to store your sample, but now you want to delete your 23ndme account, as the company says, the sample will destroy you as part of the deletion of the account.

What if you want to keep your genetic data, not just 23andme?

Even if you want to transfer your data 23andme, there are reasons that make you still want to host it on other DNA – genealogy research, for example. Some people love the idea of ​​storing their DNA results on more than one database if something occurs for any one company. This is where your data is downloaded. Familytreedna, Myheritage, GEDMATCH and DNA live are among the DNA testing companies that allow you to download the current DNA results from other companies, although the assets and 23ndme do not accept downloads.

How to download your raw genetic data

1. Go directly to you. 23andme.com/Tools/Data/.
2. Click on the name of your profile in the upper right corner. Then specify resources From the list.
3. He chooses Browse raw genetic stereotypes data And then download.
4. Visit account settings Click view under 23andme data.
5. Enter your birthday for security purposes.
6. Select the box that indicates that you understand the restrictions and risks associated with downloading your information to the third party sites and click Send the request.

23andme warns of its users to download their data on other services to endanger the privacy of genetic data at risk. For example, bad actors can use DNA data for another person to create false genetic profiles.

They can use these personal files to “match” with personal identification information and access to specific DNA variables – such as information about any risk variables that you may carry, the speaker says, adding: “This is one of the reasons why we support the download of DNA to 23andme at this time.”

Update: This article was updated to reflect that when asked about the nature of the genetic information it keeps, we referred 23andme to its privacy policy, but it did not provide any other details.