UK & Canadian Watchdogs Launch Joint Probe into 23andMe Data Breach

The data protection authorities of the United Kingdom and Canada have announced a collaborative investigation into the significant data breach at 23andMe, a leading global provider of direct-to-consumer genetic testing services.

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) of the UK and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) are joining forces to scrutinize the breach that occurred in October 2023. This cross-border cooperation underscores the growing international concern over the security of sensitive personal data, particularly genetic information.

"People need to trust that any organisation handling their most sensitive personal information has the appropriate security and safeguards in place," said John Edwards, the UK Information Commissioner. "This data breach had an international impact, and we look forward to collaborating with our Canadian counterparts to ensure the personal information of people in the UK is protected."

The breach at 23andMe is particularly alarming due to the nature of the data involved. Genetic information, which remains constant throughout an individual's life, can reveal intimate details about a person's health, ethnicity, and biological relationships. The exposure of such data could have far-reaching consequences not just for the individuals directly affected, but also for their family members.

Philippe Dufresne, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, emphasized the potential risks: "In the wrong hands, an individual's genetic information could be misused for surveillance or discrimination. Ensuring that personal information is adequately protected against attacks by malicious actors is an important focus for privacy authorities in Canada and around the world."

The joint investigation will focus on three key areas: the scope of the exposed information and potential harms to affected individuals, the adequacy of 23andMe's safeguards for protecting sensitive data, and whether the company properly notified regulators and affected individuals as required by UK and Canadian laws.

This collaborative effort is made possible by data protection and privacy legislation in both countries, which allows their privacy authorities to work together on matters impacting both jurisdictions. However, each regulator will investigate compliance with its own national laws.

The unprecedented nature of this joint probe reflects the evolving landscape of data protection in an increasingly interconnected world. As companies like 23andMe operate globally, holding vast troves of sensitive personal data, the need for robust international cooperation in data protection becomes ever more critical.

The ICO and OPC have stated that no further comments will be made while the investigation is ongoing. The outcome of this probe could set important precedents for how international data breaches are handled and may prompt a global reevaluation of safeguards for genetic and other highly sensitive personal data.

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