Wednesday, August 1, 2018

23andMe and other DNA-testing firms promise not to share data without consent

A number of companies that offer consumer genetic testing, including 23andMe and Ancestry, have pledged to protect customer privacy under a new set of voluntary guidelines. The firms say they will now obtain “express consent” from customers before transferring their genetic data to third parties, and they promise to publish annual transparency reports detailing how and when their data is accessed by law enforcement.

The guidelines — which were also signed by Helix, MyHeritage, and Habit — are a reaction to public fears about how private companies share individuals’ sensitive genetic data. Customers pay for tests in the hopes of learning about their ancestry or disposition to certain diseases, but often do not consider how this...

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