When you delete your account, 23andMe will discard your physical sample and remove your personal data, but certain de-identified or aggregated data derived from your genetic information may be retained.
This analysis describes what 23andMe's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
The operational significance is that account deletion does not automatically purge all genetic data from 23andMe's infrastructure; retention policies apply independently of account status. This affects data lifecycle management and the scope of deletion requests users may submit.
Removal of explicit provision on post-deletion data retention eliminates clarity about how long genetic information persists after account termination.
View full change record →Consumers should understand that deleting their account removes personally identifiable records but may not eliminate all traces of their genetic contribution from existing research datasets or aggregated studies. This is an inherent limitation of genetic data and is not unique to 23andMe.
How other platforms handle this
Affirm will retain your information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and any applicable state or federal law, rule or regulation.
Mistral AI shall retain the Customer Exportable Data and Assets for a period of thirty (30) days from the earlier between (a) the expiration of the Transitional Period or (b) Customer's notification under Section 2.2.2 (b) of these Additional Terms.
search engines and other third-parties may still retain copies of your public information, such as any posts and comments you made in the Webull Community, even after you have deleted the information from the Services...
Retention of de-identified data post-deletion raises questions under GDPR's right to erasure (Article 17) and CCPA's deletion requirements; compliance teams should assess whether retained data meets applicable de-identification standards and whether retention falls within recognized …
Enforcement risk, jurisdiction flags, contract triggers, and due diligence action items.
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The operational significance is that account deletion does not automatically purge all genetic data from 23andMe's infrastructure; retention policies apply independently of account status. This affects data lifecycle management and the scope of deletion requests users may submit.
Consumers should understand that deleting their account removes personally identifiable records but may not eliminate all traces of their genetic contribution from existing research datasets or aggregated studies. This is an inherent limitation of genetic data and is not unique to 23andMe.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 275 platforms. See the full comparison.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by 23andMe.