After genetic testing firm 23andMe filed for bankruptcy, New York Attorney General Letitia James is joining a growing number of officials calling for customers to delete their genetic data from the website.

“23andMe’s bankruptcy is concerning, and I am urging New Yorkers to take action to safeguard their data from being sold,” James posted on social media March 25.

According to James’ post, users can follow a set of steps to delete their data and/or destroy any DNA samples held by the 23andMe company.

In a news release, James said New Yorkers who experience issues deleting their DNA data should contact her office by filing a complaint online at bit.ly/3Y5RqDF.

23andMe Holding Co. announced its intent to file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on Sunday, March 23, USA TODAY reported.

In a news release, the company said it is looking to “sell substantially all of its assets” and is seeking authorization through legal channels to do so.

According to a statement from Mark Jensen, chair and member of the company’s Special Committee of the Board of Directors, 23andMe is “committed to continuing to safeguard customer data and being transparent about the management of user data going forward.”

“Data privacy will be an important consideration in any potential transaction,” he continued.

The company’s CEO Anne Wojcicki resigned the same day 23andMe made the bankruptcy announcement.

Genealogy from home: How to search online Ellis Island, NYC records and Ancestry databases

23andMe experienced a data breach in 2023

In 2023, 23andMe experienced a data breach that led to the leak of 6.9 million user profiles. Since then, the company has settled a $30 million class-action lawsuit.

According to 23andMe, “threat actors” used 14,000 accounts to access the ancestry data of 6.9 million people. These hackers reportedly were able to secure user names and passwords that were used for 23andMe from other compromised websites that were the same, according to the company.

Among the data leaked were users’ account information such as locations, DNA matches, ancestry reports and more.

How to delete your data on 23andMe

Deleting your DNA data permanently off of 23andMe is a simple process, but it has a few steps. Here’s how to delete your data:

• After logging into your account at 23andme.com, go to your profile settings.
• Scroll down until you see the section titled “23andMe Data” and click view, and download your data.
• Navigate to the “Delete Data” section and choose “Permanently Delete Data”.
• You’ll be emailed by the company, follow the link to confirm your deletion request.

What is 23andMe’s privacy policy?

According to the 23andMe website, your “genetic data will not be shared with employers, insurance companies, or public databases without your explicit consent.” You can update your consent to share data at any time.

All data are subject to encryption and regular inspections are conducted to measure security threats and vulnerabilities. The 23andMe app also utilizes two-factor authentication.

Can 23andMe provide your DNA to law enforcement?

23andMe will not release your DNA to law enforcement, unless they are required to by law— and if that does happen, the company will notify you, unless the law prevents it from doing so.

“We will not release any individual-level personal information to law enforcement without your explicit consent unless required by law,” the company’s privacy statement says. “We closely scrutinize all law enforcement requests, and we will only comply with court orders, subpoenas, search warrants or other requests that we determine are legally valid.”

Did you upload raw DNA data from 23andMe to other websites?

Many genetic testing sites allow for you to download your raw DNA data, and upload to another site, such as Ancestry or MyHeritage, for a second opinion.

If you delete your DNA data from 23andMe, it will not be deleted from other genealogy sites automatically. You’d have to make sure you go through each sites data deletion process.

For Ancestry’s privacy policy, go to ancestry.com/c/legal/privacystatement. For MyHeritage, go to bit.ly/4l1EI2z.

Looking for ways to explore genealogy without submitting DNA?

There are a lot of options out there for New Yorkers to explore their family history and heritage, without the risk of sending in a biological sample.

From searching New York City’s historical records for free, to combing through Ellis Island records online, you’ve got options that involve less risk.

Check out this story to learn more.

Ashley C. Fontones is the Emerging Audiences Editor at The Journal News/lohud.com and oversees breaking and trending news coverage. Have an idea for a poll or a story? Send ideas to [email protected].

Contributing: USA TODAY, The Tennessean, Reuters

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: 23andMe: NY Attorney General urges users to delete DNA data off site