Washington, D.C. – During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled “23 and You: The Privacy and National Security Implications of the 23andMe Bankruptcy,”U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) raised questions regarding data privacy, gender classification, and the handling of sensitive genetic information by the at-home DNA testing company, 23andMe.
The hearing featured testimony from 23andMe Interim CEO Paul Selsavage, who fielded questions from committee members on the company’s policies and obligations in the context of its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings and potential acquisition.
Turning to the company’s approach to sex and gender in its DNA analysis, Senator Britt questioned whether 23andMe bases its health reports on biological sex or on self-identified gender. Selsavage initially expressed uncertainty about the specific policy, prompting Senator Britt to read directly from the company’s website, which acknowledges non-binary identities and explains the use of self-reported sex in tailoring health and trait reports.
Britt highlighted potential medical implications of this practice, asking whether a biological female identifying as male would receive a report that includes risks for male-specific conditions, such as male pattern baldness. Selsavage confirmed that such testing could be done upon request.
“We have to be vigilant when it comes to children and their DNA,” Britt stated, citing potential risks ranging from privacy violations to blackmail.
