Reuters reported Friday that genetics testing firm 23andMe has agreed to pay a $30 million settlement after a hack uncovered 6.9 million clients’ private data to the darkish internet. The corporate may even pay for 3 years of safety monitoring for affected clients.
The category motion lawsuit alleged that 23andMe did not alert clients with Ashkenazi Jewish and Chinese language ancestry that their private information was posted on the market and that they might have been specifically focused within the April 2023 breach.
23andMe mentioned the settlement was “truthful, enough, and affordable” in a court docket submitting, per Reuters.
In a Dec. 2023 weblog put up addressing the hack, the corporate mentioned the assault began in April 2023 and lasted about 5 months. On the time, 23andMe had round 14.1 million clients in its system. The corporate mentioned the hack affected no less than half of the database.
Who’s eligible to assert cash?
In accordance to court docket paperwork, affected customers can declare wherever from $100 as much as $10,000 for essentially the most “extraordinary” circumstances. If the settlement will get last approval, directions will likely be offered on tips on how to file for reimbursement.
Clients in Alaska, California, Illinois, and Oregon are topic to “genetic privateness legal guidelines with statutory damages provisions” and might solely declare $100, per PCMag.