ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesotans are being alerted Wednesday about a recent bankruptcy filing by the company 23andMe.

Founded in 2006, 23andMe can examine your DNA to find information on your ancestry and health. Earlier this week, the company entered “a voluntary Chapter 11 restructuring and sale process.” 

In light of this news, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is issuing a consumer alert due to the company collecting and analyzing “most sensitive and irreplaceable information about individuals.” Ellison said the filing raises uncertainties about the future of consumers’ genetic data. 

“23andMe holds very sensitive information about individuals who use its services,” said Ellison in a press release. “Their bankruptcy proceedings raise reasonable questions about the future of 23andMe and how this important data will be safeguarded. Minnesotans may wish to proactively protect their own data by requesting the deletion of their account.” 

23andMe says on their website the bankruptcy filing does not change how consumer data or stored or managed. According to the company, customers have the ability to delete their data by logging into their accounts and going to Account Settings. The Attorney General’s Office wants Minnesotans to be aware of this option “given the uncertainty created by the bankruptcy proceedings.” 

Ellison said in the release that his office has been monitoring the company as part of an investigation into a data breach in 2023 that he said led to the exposure of personal information of nearly 7 million people. 

The Associated Press reports that the company’s co-founder and CEO has resigned, and that it is looking to sell substantially all of its assets through a court-approved reorganization plan. The company has been struggling to find a profitable business model since going public in 2021, and privacy concerns have been present since the 2023 data breach.