Summary of the 23andMe data breach class action lawsuit:
- Who: Customers identified as David Melvin and JL filed a class action lawsuit against personal genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe Inc.
- why: Melvin and JL allege that 23andMe hid from consumers that the hackers behind the October 2023 data breach specifically sought out Chinese and Jewish customers and placed stolen personal genetic information on the dark web. are doing.
- where: The class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court.
Personal genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe has revealed to customers that the hackers behind the October 2023 data breach specifically targeted Jewish and Chinese customers and posted their personal genetic information on the dark web. a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff David Melvin and JL Inc.’s class action lawsuit alleges that 23andMe hackers, as a side mission, compiled a specially selected list of personal genetic information of the company’s Jewish and Chinese users, which continues to be collected today. It is claimed that Shared and sold on the dark web until today.
Melvin and JL said 23andMe was able to investigate the data it stole from Chinese and Jewish customers and how that data was sold and shared, but it did not use that information against them. He claims he chose to hide it.
“To this day, 23andMe has never told its 7 million compromised customers that their (personal genetic information) was published on the dark web, and that 23andMe “We never informed our Chinese customers that they were being specifically targeted,” the 23andMe class action lawsuit states.
Melvin and JL identify a class of individuals nationally whose genetic information was accessed by third parties during the 23andMe data breach, a subclass of individuals with Chinese ancestry or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, and Oregon, Illinois, or wish to represent a subclass of individuals in Alaska.
23andMe hackers leaked data of more than 1 million Jewish customers and 350,000 Chinese customers, claimed in class action lawsuit
Melvin and JL claim that the hackers behind the 23andMe data breach had a list of data on more than 1 million Jewish customers in apparent retaliation for the Israeli-Hamas war, as well as a request from a user under the pseudonym “.” It claims that the data of 350,000 Chinese customers was leaked. It’s Wuhan. ”
“These lists have received significant interest from hackers on the dark web around the world and have been shared and re-shared countless times,” the 23andMe class action lawsuit states.
Melvin and JL further stated that 23andMe delayed notification to its 7 million customers affected by the data breach to give it time to add arbitration requirements to its terms and conditions to prevent claims against the company. It is claimed that
23andMe charged with negligence and violation of California law Unfair Competition Prevention Act Illinois, Alaska, and Oregon Privacy Laws.
Plaintiffs demand a jury trial and seek declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as awards of actual, compensatory, consequential, incidental, nominal, statutory, and punitive damages against themselves and the entire class.
In December, the company filed a separate lawsuit in Illinois related to the 23andMe data breach. letter It blames its customers for the data breach, and the company claims those affected suffered. Failed to update password For genetic testing services.
Were you affected by the 23andMe data breach? Let us know in the comments.
Plaintiffs are represented by Rafi S. Balabanian, Jay Edelson, J. Eli Wade Scott, Michael Ofka, Emily Penkowski Perez and Hannah P. Hilligos of Edelson PC.
of 23andMe Data Breach Class Action Lawsuit teeth Melvin et al. v. 23andMe Co., Ltd.Case No. 3:24-cv-00487, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
Read more about class actions and class action settlements:
