this post was submitted on 05 Dec 2023
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23andMe confirms hackers stole ancestry data on 6.9 million users::Genetic testing company 23andMe revealed that its data breach was much worse than previously reported, hitting about half of its total customers.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 9 months ago (6 children)

Yet more evidence that we shouldn't be handing over sensitive data to random companies. Will this change anyone's behaviour? Sadly, probably not.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago (5 children)

I struggle to see what someone could do with that information. My ethnicity is already known by the government and every advertiser collecting my information online. I randomly had my identity connected to my cousin's before any family took DNA tests. Her name would show up in those questionnaires along with what car I've owned and where I've lived when I had to go through online government stuff.

I'm relatively paranoid about giving out personal information, but I don't consider my spit very sensitive.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

You get a phone call from someone claiming to be from 23andme but they're not...

Hi it's Jim from 23andme.
Just going through security with you. You did a test with us on the 5th Dec, your mother is X and your father is Y.
Ok that confirms who I am.
So as I said it's Jim and in your results we see you have a genetic condition which means you will have early onset dementia.
We offer a preventative treatment. Want to enrol in the trial? It's $200.

Not the best example I admit but an example of how that data could be misused and you've just paid "Jim" $200

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