23andMe Privacy Ombudsman Urges User Consent Pre-Data Sale (1)

The consumer privacy ombudsman tasked with analyzing the impact of 23andMe’s bankruptcy sale on individuals’ privacy has called for users’ consent before the sale of the company’s vast trove of genetic data receives court approval.

Neil M. Richards told the bankruptcy judge that he couldn’t “conclude with certainty” that the sale of millions of customers’ genetic data is consistent with 23andMe’s privacy policy and statements. He recommended that the company obtain “separate, affirmative consent” before selling user data to either Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. or TTAM Research Institute, according to his report filed Wednesday in the US Bankruptcy Court for ...