DNA testing site 23andMe has spoken out amid controversy over a ‘colossal data breach’.
The popularity of the DNA website has seen millions of people send off their spit samples to labs to find out more about their heritage.
Some people have even been able to uncover long lost family members through the site.
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However, the future of the firm has now been thrown into question.
Earlier this year, there was a mass data breach where seven million users saw their data get exposed.
At the time, 23andMe said that users who had been affected by the hack had ‘negligently recycled and failed to update their passwords’, according to a Guardian report.
In recent months, the DNA testing site has been facing financial struggles and, as a result, has cut around 40% of its workforce.
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This has led customers to fear what might happen to their data if the company goes under.
One YouTuber known as Doctor Mike hit out against the company in a recent video where he urged people to delete their information from the website.
In a clip, he said: “Their user agreement states that if the company is acquired, user data will likely go to the company that buys it, and if that happened, the new owner could keep their current privacy policies or it could change them. It would be their choice.
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“Right now, privacy laws in about 12 states would require customers to give consent before 23andMe could transfer their data to a new owner, but most states don't go that far, and there's no federal law to that effect.”
Now, 23andMe has spoken out against the claims made, emphasizing that the privacy of people who use their testing services is always at the ‘top of [their] mind’.
A 23andMe spokesperson said: “The privacy of our customers has always been top of mind and core to our product at 23andMe. We comply with all applicable laws regarding customers’ information and have never shared a customer’s genetic data unless they opted to participate in our Research program.”
They went on to say: “23andMe will not sell, lease or rent customers’ individual-level information to an insurance company or any third party, or to a third party for research purposes, without their explicit consent.”
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But what if the company is sold?
The spokesperson continued: “23andMe’s Co-Founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki has publicly shared she intends to take the company private, and is not open to considering third party takeover proposals.
“Anne also expressed her strong commitment to customer privacy, and pledged to maintain our current privacy policy, including following the intended completion of the acquisition she is pursuing.
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“Beyond Anne’s pledge to maintain current privacy policy, we note that for any company that handles consumer information, including the type of data we collect, there are applicable data protections set out in law that would be required to be followed as part of any company’s decision to transfer data as part of a sale or restructuring.
“Our own commitment to apply the terms of our Privacy Policy to the Personal Information of our customers in the event of a sale or transfer is clear: ‘This privacy statement will apply to your personal information as transferred to the new entity’.”