Iowa, 41 other states to receive money from 23andMe settlement

Iowa, United States, is among 42 states that have reached a settlement with genetics and biotechnology company 23andMe after a large-scale data breach disclosed in 2023. According to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, the breach affected nearly 7 million people and exposed customers’ genetic ancestry information, personal details and other data, some of which later appeared for sale on the dark web. The settlement will provide money to Iowa and the other participating states, resolving claims related to the company’s handling and protection of sensitive consumer data. The action follows the filing for bankruptcy by 23andMe, which has come under increased scrutiny for the scope and sensitivity of information compromised in the incident. In response to the breach and the settlement, authorities are directing affected consumers to information on how they can manage, restrict or delete their genetic data from the company’s systems. Officials say these steps are intended to help individuals reduce potential future risks tied to the exposure of their personal and genetic information and to reinforce expectations for stronger data security practices by similar companies.