State AG Pulse | CT AG Reacts to Genetic Data Breach
Rite Aid bankruptcy update: report says pharmacy chain may be facing insolvency as businesses close | Fast Company - Having previously filed for bankruptcy in 2023, Rite Aid is now preparing to file a second bankruptcy...more
23andMe’s recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing has sparked significant concerns over the privacy and security of genetic data belonging to its 15 million customers. Founded in 2006, 23andMe built its business around...more
23andMe, a pioneer in the DNA testing kit industry, announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and recently asked to select an independent customer data representative regarding any sale of user data....more
Since its 2006 founding, 23andMe’s (the “Company”) service of collecting, analyzing, and reporting customers’ genetic information has raised privacy concerns among many. Worsening those concerns, the Company filed for...more
On March 23, 2025, 23andMe Holding Co. (“23andMe”) filed for bankruptcy in the Eastern District of Missouri, potentially setting in motion the sale of genetic data collected from more than 15 million people. This has led to...more
Genetic testing company 23andMe has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and its CEO has resigned. It is seeking to sell “substantially all of its assets” through a reorganization plan that will have to be approved by...more
The chapter 11 bankruptcy cases of 23andMe Holding Co. and its affiliated debtors (collectively, “23andMe”), the company that provides direct-to-consumer genetic testing and ancestry services, has prompted a wave of panicked...more
There’s a new wave of class action lawsuits hitting Illinois employers, based on a law that has been under the radar for more than 25 years: The Genetic Information Privacy Act, also known as GIPA. Passed in 1998, GIPA...more
“Cybersecurity” has emerged as one of top risks facing organizations. Considering the steady stream of massive data breaches affecting millions (sometimes billions), the debilitating effects of ransomware on an organization’s...more
On March 20, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 7520, the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024, targeting companies that sell sensitive information to “foreign adversaries.” ...more
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently published a post on their Business Guidance Blog discussing lessons learned from three enforcement actions against sellers of genetic testing products. These guidelines address...more
We previously alerted readers to the fact that the most recent data compromise of 23andMe exposed data related to Ashkenazi Jews and individuals of Chinese descent. It is reported by Ars Technica, citing TechCrunch, that...more
On January 5, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published an article discussing privacy issues related to the DNA information that many consumers provide to genetic testing companies. This post outlines key takeaways...more
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) released initial draft regulations for cybersecurity audits (which have since been amended) and risk assessments late this summer. The agency’s board of directors addressed the...more
A data breach that exposed sensitive data collected in genetic testing that could potentially be used to target vulnerable populations has attracted the attention of Connecticut AG William Tong. In Episode 9, Chris Allen and...more
It’s hard to keep up with all the recent changes to labor and employment law, especially since the law always seems to evolve at a rapid pace. In order to ensure you stay on top of the latest changes and have an action plan...more
This year has proven to be active in terms of state privacy legislation. In addition to Montana’s Consumer Data Privacy Act, the state has now passed a Genetic Information Privacy Act. Montana defines “genetic data” as any...more
Join us Wednesday, September 13 at noon for our Ninth Annual Labor & Employment Fall Seminar. This year’s event will be livestreamed from our Chicago office. Our attorneys will discuss the latest employment law updates...more
On June 7, 2023, Montana’s Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 351 which revises the state’s privacy law pertaining to genetic information. This legislation takes effect on October 1, 2023. Covered Entity- Businesses...more
The FTC continues to scrutinize the privacy practices of consumer health companies. After taking action against patient couponing and mental health companies, the FTC has now turned its attention to genetic testing....more
A recent enforcement action by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) against 1Health.io—which sells “DNA Health Test Kits” to consumers for health and ancestry insights—serves as a reminder that the FTC is increasingly...more
CYBERSECURITY - New Mexico County Recovering from Ransomware Attack - Another day, another governmental entity hit with a ransomware attack. If you are a resident of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, and you need a marriage...more
Enacted in 2008, the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, 740 ILCS 14 et seq. (the “BIPA”), went largely unnoticed until a few years ago when a handful of cases sparked a flood of class action litigation over the...more
Governor Gavin Newsom of California vetoed a bill that would have created new limitations on data sharing for direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies. The Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) asked testing companies...more
Consistent with our experience, security firm McAfee has confirmed in a report that ransomware attacks have doubled in 2019. Medical providers have been hit hard this year, and one provider, Wood Ranch Medical, located in...more