Provision record
23andMe · 23andMe Terms of Service · View original document ↗

Research participation is voluntary with IRB consent

Medium severity High confidence Explicit document language Common · 279 of 352 platforms

Key Facts

Is participation in research voluntary and based upon an Institutional Review Board-approved consent document?
23andMe states that participation in research is voluntary and based upon an Institutional Review Board-approved consent document.
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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

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

The voluntary nature of research participation and the IRB consent requirement are the two conditions governing whether a user's data may be used for research.

Clause Stability Stable

0
Changes
5
Months Monitored
Jul 10, 2026
First Seen
Jul 10, 2026
Last Seen
This clause type exists across 3333 other provisions on other platforms.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users are not automatically enrolled in research; participation requires voluntary agreement under an IRB-approved consent process.

How other platforms handle this

Google Cloud Medium

In some cases we will seek your consent to send you marketing communications.

Roblox Medium

Additionally, with your explicit and informed consent, we may use your phone number to recommend you as a friend to others using Roblox. You will be recommended with your contact name as stored on your ...

ZipRecruiter Medium

We may use your Personal Data to send you information about the services provided by the ZipRecruiter Group; provided, however that we will obtain consent to do so where required by applicable law.

See all platforms with this clause type →
▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
Participation in such research is voluntary and based upon an Institutional Review Board-approved consent document.

Excerpt from 23andMe's Terms of Service

Applicable regulations

BIPA
Illinois, USA
CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
ePrivacy Directive
European Union
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
HIPAA
United States Federal

Provision details

Document information
Document
23andMe Terms of Service
Entity
23andMe
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 11, 2026
Last verified
July 9, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-027195
Document ID
CA-D-00147
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
bddb92bc01773d87e5f6157d525fe0a08abb0e48becacc33725f316880d9f25e
Analysis generated
May 11, 2026 23:34 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: 23andMe
Document: 23andMe Terms of Service
Record ID: CA-P-027195
Captured: 2026-05-11 23:34:45 UTC
SHA-256: bddb92bc01773d87…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/23andme/23andme-terms-of-service/provision/CA-P-027195/research-participation-is-voluntary-with-irb-consent/
Accessed: Aug. 18, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does 23andMe's Research participation is voluntary with IRB consent clause do?

The voluntary nature of research participation and the IRB consent requirement are the two conditions governing whether a user's data may be used for research.

How does this clause affect you?

Users are not automatically enrolled in research; participation requires voluntary agreement under an IRB-approved consent process.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 279 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with 23andMe?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by 23andMe.