Participation in features like DNA Relatives, which connects you with genetic relatives identified in the 23andMe database, is optional and user-controlled.
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
Participating in DNA Relatives discloses your genetic relationship to other users and may reveal family information to people you did not previously know, including information about relatives who have not themselves consented to be identified.
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 →This addition explicitly separates DNA sharing feature participation from other provisions, emphasizing user control over secondary data uses like relative matching.
View full change record →The terms authorize users to opt into features that share genetic relationship data with other matched users, which may surface family connections, including unexpected ones such as previously unknown relatives or donor-conceived relationships, and this sharing is within user control but affects individuals beyond the consenting user.
How other platforms handle this
At Ledger, earning and maintaining our users' trust is a top priority. That's why we are deeply committed not only to protecting your privacy and securing your personal data, but also to being fully transparent about how we handle it.
If you are located in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, you have the right to access, correct, or erase your personal data; the right to restrict or object to our processing of your personal data; the right to data portability; and, where our processing is based on your...
We may display advertisements on our Services and those advertisements may be targeted to your interests based on your personal information. We may share your personal information with advertising partners for interest-based advertising purposes. You may opt out of interest-based advertising by visi...
Monitoring
23andMe has changed this document before.
Receive same-day alerts, structured change summaries, and monitoring for up to 25 platforms.
"You decide whether you want to participate in our sharing features, like DNA Relatives and Your Connections.— Excerpt from 23andMe's 23andMe Privacy Statement
REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: DNA Relatives and similar features involve sharing genetic relationship information with third-party users, which engages state genetic privacy laws and GDPR provisions on the rights of data subjects who are identified as a result of another user's data, a category sometimes called third-party data subjects in genetic privacy literature. The FTC has issued guidance on sensitive genetic data sharing. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The privacy implications of DNA Relatives extend to individuals who have not consented to be identified by 23andMe, specifically genetic relatives who are matched in the database as a consequence of a consenting user's participation. The policy places the consent and control obligation on the active user rather than addressing rights of the identified relatives. JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU and UK users participating in DNA Relatives create data processing implications for matched relatives who may be in different jurisdictions. The GDPR rights of individuals identified as genetic relatives without their own active consent is an area of regulatory complexity. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: No significant contract or vendor implications from this specific feature; the sharing is user-to-user within the 23andMe platform. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should evaluate whether the consent framework for DNA Relatives adequately addresses the rights of third-party relatives who are identified as a result of another user's data, and whether the feature's disclosure mechanisms meet GDPR transparency requirements for all potentially affected data subjects.
Full compliance analysis
Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.
Free: track 1 platform + weekly digest. Monitor: 25 platforms + same-day alerts. No credit card required.
Ad personalization controls removed. Contact scanning added. Advertiser data partnerships quietly dropped. A timeline of every change.
Compliance Governance Intelligence
Need to monitor specific governance provisions?
Compliance includes provision-level monitoring, governance timelines, regulatory mapping, and audit-ready analysis.
Built from archived source documents, structured governance mappings, and historical version tracking.
Participating in DNA Relatives discloses your genetic relationship to other users and may reveal family information to people you did not previously know, including information about relatives who have not themselves consented to be identified.
The terms authorize users to opt into features that share genetic relationship data with other matched users, which may surface family connections, including unexpected ones such as previously unknown relatives or donor-conceived relationships, and this sharing is within user control but affects individuals beyond the consenting user.
No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by 23andMe.