23andYallMar 31, 5:35 PM EDT/byVictor Tangermann23andMe Is Selling All Your Data, in Largest Sale of Genomes in History"There are many cautionary tales buried in the 23andMe story."Mar 31, 5:35 PM EDT/Victor TangermannImage by Getty / FuturismGeneticsThe DNA data from around 15 million people around the world is going on sale.As Nature reports, consumer-genomics company 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy and legal permission to auction off all of that data. To some, it's an enormous risk to consumer privacy, but to some scientists, it's a major opportunity for research."As far as I know, this is the most amount of genetic data that is potentially changing hands," University of Iowa bioethicist Anya Prince told Nature.And while privacy advocates have rung the alarm bells over the potential for all that genomic data falling into the wrong hands and reminded customers to delete their data others argue it could be used for good instead, especially considering its sheer scale."If a future buyer is not interested in research collaborations, it would be a great shame that the potential this data holds for human health advances would not be realized," University of Exeter geneticist Rachel Freathy, whose research collaboration with 23andMe was cut short due to the bankruptcy, told Nature.While we "dont have to freak out yet," as Baylor College of Medicine bioethicist Amy McGuire added, 23andMe could alter its privacy policy in the future, allowing the likes of insurance companies or law enforcement agencies to access the data. As a result, experts warn premiums could rise for those at risk of developing genetic diseases, while other customers could come up in forensic DNA searches.Besides the threat of changing terms of service, 23andMe has already proven to be vulnerable to hacking. The personal data of nearly seven million customers was exposed in 2023, the result of a "very dumb" security lapse.One of the bidders at the upcoming auction will be 23andMe's cofounder Anne Wojcicki, who resigned as CEO following the announcement that the company had filed for bankruptcy.Wojcicki, who has made several takeover bids in the past, resigned "so I can be in the best position to pursue the company as an independent bidder," she wrote in a March 24 statement.Whether her efforts to gain control over the data will prove successful remains to be seen. It's also unclear what would happen with the data under her independent ownership."Our foundation was the trust and respect of our customers, and they were always the guiding light on how we made decisions," she wrote. "If I am fortunate enough to secure the companys assets through the restructuring process, I remain committed to our long-term vision of being a global leader in genetics and establishing genetics as a fundamental part of healthcare ecosystems worldwide."Fellow cofounder Linda Avey took a notably different tack, blasting the company's leadership in a March 26 tweet."Without continued consumer-focused product development, and without governance, 23andMe lost its way, and society missed a key opportunity in furthering the idea of personalized health," she wrote. "There are many cautionary tales buried in the 23andMe story."According to Nature, an auction could happen as soon as May 14 a high-stakes sale with the DNA of 15 million people in the balance.Share This ArticleImage by Getty / FuturismRead This Next