Jonquilyn Hill

We're back. If you've used at-home DNA tests to find out where your family's from or your genetic information, you might have some questions right about now, especially around privacy. Because 23andMe, one of the companies behind these at-home tests, has filed for bankruptcy. I called up Emily Mullen, who covers biotech for Wired.

I asked her to start by walking us through the history of these at-home DNA tests.

I asked her to start by walking us through the history of these at-home DNA tests.

I asked her to start by walking us through the history of these at-home DNA tests.

OK, so 23andMe wasn't the only, you know, at home DNA testing site that we had. There's also Ancestry.com and there are others. But right now I want to stick with 23andMe. So originally this company was huge. It was gigantic. You could walk into Target or Walmart and see a whole wall of tests. Like what what happened?

OK, so 23andMe wasn't the only, you know, at home DNA testing site that we had. There's also Ancestry.com and there are others. But right now I want to stick with 23andMe. So originally this company was huge. It was gigantic. You could walk into Target or Walmart and see a whole wall of tests. Like what what happened?

OK, so 23andMe wasn't the only, you know, at home DNA testing site that we had. There's also Ancestry.com and there are others. But right now I want to stick with 23andMe. So originally this company was huge. It was gigantic. You could walk into Target or Walmart and see a whole wall of tests. Like what what happened?

Okay, we spoke with a listener named Hannah, and she used Ancestry.com to find her father, but it turns out she didn't even need to use her DNA. There was information already there. Is that common? How much of our DNA is already on these sites?

Okay, we spoke with a listener named Hannah, and she used Ancestry.com to find her father, but it turns out she didn't even need to use her DNA. There was information already there. Is that common? How much of our DNA is already on these sites?

Okay, we spoke with a listener named Hannah, and she used Ancestry.com to find her father, but it turns out she didn't even need to use her DNA. There was information already there. Is that common? How much of our DNA is already on these sites?

So fast forward and 23andMe's declared bankruptcy. What exactly happened? How did we get there?

So fast forward and 23andMe's declared bankruptcy. What exactly happened? How did we get there?

So fast forward and 23andMe's declared bankruptcy. What exactly happened? How did we get there?

So what can you do if you've submitted your DNA to 23andMe, but you're like, wait, what's going to happen to my data? Is it going to go to like TBD company? Yeah.

So what can you do if you've submitted your DNA to 23andMe, but you're like, wait, what's going to happen to my data? Is it going to go to like TBD company? Yeah.

So what can you do if you've submitted your DNA to 23andMe, but you're like, wait, what's going to happen to my data? Is it going to go to like TBD company? Yeah.

Yeah, this seems so sticky because... There aren't really federal laws protecting genetic data. Are there any safeguards out there, maybe on like a different level, a state level, something? Is there anything out there?

Yeah, this seems so sticky because... There aren't really federal laws protecting genetic data. Are there any safeguards out there, maybe on like a different level, a state level, something? Is there anything out there?

Yeah, this seems so sticky because... There aren't really federal laws protecting genetic data. Are there any safeguards out there, maybe on like a different level, a state level, something? Is there anything out there?

So the market for genetic data testing was really booming at one point. What happens next? Is this going to go away?