Kayte Spector-Bagdady

So 23andMe has always been very clear in its terms and conditions and notice of privacy practices that in case of bankruptcy, those data may be sold or shared with other companies external to 23andMe. One of the challenges, however, is that people are extremely unlikely to actually read any of those terms and conditions or access or even understand them if they do read them.

So 23andMe has always been very clear in its terms and conditions and notice of privacy practices that in case of bankruptcy, those data may be sold or shared with other companies external to 23andMe. One of the challenges, however, is that people are extremely unlikely to actually read any of those terms and conditions or access or even understand them if they do read them.

The other problem that you brought forward is what happens when those data are shared external to 23andMe. One potential thing that people might be concerned about is potential law enforcement use of those data. For example, I don't know if you've heard of the Golden State Killer case in California. The Golden State Killer was a murder case, and they've been looking for him for decades.

The other problem that you brought forward is what happens when those data are shared external to 23andMe. One potential thing that people might be concerned about is potential law enforcement use of those data. For example, I don't know if you've heard of the Golden State Killer case in California. The Golden State Killer was a murder case, and they've been looking for him for decades.

And actually, police ended up re-identifying him by using GEDmatch, which was another direct-to-consumer genetic testing company. So that's one potential concern.

And actually, police ended up re-identifying him by using GEDmatch, which was another direct-to-consumer genetic testing company. So that's one potential concern.

Yeah, so there is a law called the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act that's been around since the 1990s when they first sequenced the genome. And the intent is to protect against discrimination from your employer or from your health insurance.

Yeah, so there is a law called the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act that's been around since the 1990s when they first sequenced the genome. And the intent is to protect against discrimination from your employer or from your health insurance.

So under this law, your employer or your health insurer is not allowed to use your genomic information to discriminate against you in your employment or getting health insurance. However, it leaves a lot of gaps. Like, for example, it doesn't protect you from discrimination for long-term health insurance, which is a big concern of people, as well as life insurance.

So under this law, your employer or your health insurer is not allowed to use your genomic information to discriminate against you in your employment or getting health insurance. However, it leaves a lot of gaps. Like, for example, it doesn't protect you from discrimination for long-term health insurance, which is a big concern of people, as well as life insurance.

It's a complicated question. 23andMe has been very clear that in the interim, while bankruptcy is pending, they're applying the same safeguards to the data that they always have. However, just a few years ago, there was already a breach of the 23andMe data and almost 7 million users got hacked and had their data shared across the Internet in ways that we don't fully understand.

It's a complicated question. 23andMe has been very clear that in the interim, while bankruptcy is pending, they're applying the same safeguards to the data that they always have. However, just a few years ago, there was already a breach of the 23andMe data and almost 7 million users got hacked and had their data shared across the Internet in ways that we don't fully understand.

And so this is a limitation as well on people who are deleting their own 23andMe data right now because data that's already escaped and has already been breached cannot be deleted.

And so this is a limitation as well on people who are deleting their own 23andMe data right now because data that's already escaped and has already been breached cannot be deleted.

Even though everybody's talking about the genomic information, we have some protections against that in the law. The thing that really keeps me up at night is actually the survey information that people had been filling out. So 23andMe not only has... 15 million people represented in its phenotypic or its genetic database.

Even though everybody's talking about the genomic information, we have some protections against that in the law. The thing that really keeps me up at night is actually the survey information that people had been filling out. So 23andMe not only has... 15 million people represented in its phenotypic or its genetic database.

It also has over 4 billion data points about they call it phenotypic data about other information about you, like your health behaviors or your health outcomes. And it's this kind of information, information about how much you drink, information about mental health diagnoses, information about your childhood that I think people really consider much more private.

It also has over 4 billion data points about they call it phenotypic data about other information about you, like your health behaviors or your health outcomes. And it's this kind of information, information about how much you drink, information about mental health diagnoses, information about your childhood that I think people really consider much more private.

and also is potentially more valuable to advertisers or other people who are trying to incentivize or discourage certain behaviors.

and also is potentially more valuable to advertisers or other people who are trying to incentivize or discourage certain behaviors.