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 clause establishes that sample retention is user-controlled and that declining storage results in secure destruction after lab completion, directly affecting what happens to a user's physical biological material.
The updated privacy statement no longer explicitly directs users to a separate Medical Record Privacy Notice for telehealth services or explains that medical information collected through telehealth is governed by different privacy rules. Previously, the policy stated that users choosing telehealth services coordinated through 23andMe would find healthcare privacy protections described in a separate notice. That reference is now absent from the main privacy statement. Users seeking privacy information specific to telehealth services will need to determine independently whether a separate notice exists or contact 23andMe directly using the provided contact information.
View change record →The updated privacy statement no longer explicitly discloses a separate Medical Record Privacy Notice that previously described how medical information is used, disclosed, and maintained for telehealth services. Users who receive telehealth services coordinated through 23andMe may now lack clear notice of which privacy framework governs their medical records, since the reference to that parallel notice has been removed. The organizational scope change from '23andMe Research Institute' to '23andMe' narrows the explicitly named entities responsible for the policy, though operational impact depends on how these entities actually function.
View change record →The reader controls whether their biological sample is stored; declining storage means the sample is securely destroyed once lab work is done.
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"You can choose to have your sample stored. If not, no problem. It will be securely destroyed after the laboratory completes its work.— Excerpt from 23andMe's 23andMe Privacy Statement
Ad personalization controls removed. Contact scanning added. Advertiser data partnerships quietly dropped. A timeline of every change.
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The clause establishes that sample retention is user-controlled and that declining storage results in secure destruction after lab completion, directly affecting what happens to a user's physical biological material.
The reader controls whether their biological sample is stored; declining storage means the sample is securely destroyed once lab work is done.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 290 platforms. See the full comparison.
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