Security News > 2023 > June > FTC accuses DNA testing company of lying about dumping samples

The Federal Trade Commission has alleged that genetic testing firm 1Health.io, also known as Vitagene, deceived people when it said it would dispose of their physical DNA sample as well as their collected health data.

The company asks users to spit into a tube and uses the customer's genetic data, in combination with a health quiz, to check if a user has, or may soon have, certain health conditions.

According to the order [PDF], the company, which the FTC said also trades as Vitagene, "Identifies salient genotype data, pertinent questionnaire answers, and, based on the genotype data and questionnaire answers, the level of risk for having or developing certain health conditions, such as high LDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, obesity, or blood clots."

The document, which proposes a settlement of $75,000 and to extract a promise from the company to police its data protection, claims that Vitagene did not securely store consumers' health reports and raw genotype data.

Vitagene told the newswire at the time that the files dated from when the company was in beta testing and affected a small fraction of its customer base.

The FTC's recent order goes on to detail another count from the proposed complaint alleging Vitagene posted revised privacy policies on its websites in April and December 2020 that described "Materially expanded practices for the company's sharing of consumers' sensitive health and genetic information with third parties." According to the commission, this included the information of consumers who purchased products and services from the company before April 2020 - "Without taking any additional steps to notify consumers or obtain consumers' consent."

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/06/21/dna_testing_company_ftc_complaint/