Why 23andMe Isn't Like Your Paternity Test: Understanding the Data Difference

You've likely heard about the 23andMe data breach by now, and when it comes to Paternity testing, perhaps you’re questioning if the same breach could happen to your results and personal data. Allow Adore DNA Testing to clarify the issue at hand and hopefully offer you some peace of mind.

What is 23andMe?

The 23andMe genetic test is a product that allows a customer to trace their hereditary roots or family tree through DNA by providing a saliva sample [23andMe.com, Accessed 2025]. According to the “How it Works” section regarding the Ancestry Service:

“[It] helps you understand who you are, where your DNA comes from and your family story. We analyze, compile and distill your DNA information into reports on your Ancestry Composition,  Ancestry Detail Reports, Maternal & Paternal Haplogroups, Neanderthal Ancestry and provide a DNA Relatives tool to enable you to connect with relatives who share similar DNA” [23andMe.com, Accessed 2025].   

The 23andMe Breach and Recent Developments

In late 2023, it was reported that hackers had breached 23andMe user accounts. They primarily used "credential stuffing" – guessing passwords by using credentials leaked from other websites – to gain access. Once inside accounts, they accessed information shared through the optional DNA Relatives feature, including user family tree details. It was confirmed that data related to approximately 6.9 million users was accessed in this manner, mostly through the scraping of the DNA Relatives feature [TechCrunch, 2023].

Following the breach, 23andMe faced multiple class-action lawsuits regarding its security practices and the data exposure. To resolve these claims in the US, the company reached a formal settlement agreement; a 23andMe spokesperson confirmed to CNET the company's commitment to pay an aggregate of $30 million, pending final court approval [CNET, November 2024].

The company also implemented enhanced security measures after the breach, including making two-factor authentication mandatory for all users [23andMe, accessed 2025]. However, 23andMe continued to face significant challenges, and according to reports in early April 2025, the company has filed for bankruptcy protection. The stated goal of this process is reportedly to find a buyer for the company. Concurrent with this news, co-founder Anne Wojcicki stepped down as CEO and expressed interest in potentially purchasing the company herself, though an initial offer was reportedly rejected by the board [NPR.org, accessed 2025]. These major developments raise further questions about the future of the company and the stewardship of user data through the bankruptcy and potential sale process. Separately, what hackers have done or plan to do with the information stolen in the original breach remains largely unknown, fueling understandable anxiety about personal information falling into the wrong hands.

What are Paternity Testing Services?

Paternity Testing services have a very different and specific purpose: to scientifically determine the likelihood that a specific individual (alleged father) is the biological father of a child. The process typically involves comparing DNA samples (e.g., cheek swabs) from the child, mother, and alleged father(s) at a private DNA collection site or laboratory. Legal tests require strict chain-of-custody protocols to ensure results are admissible in court.

Understanding how crucial accuracy and reliability are, Adore DNA Testing partners exclusively with laboratories holding AABB accreditation. This accreditation isn't just a piece of paper; it means the lab adheres to rigorous standards for sample handling, testing procedures, and quality control, ensuring you can trust the results, especially when legal matters are involved. The analysis focuses on comparing specific genetic markers (alleles) that are highly variable between individuals but are inherited, allowing for statistical determination of parentage. 

Unlike ancestry services, the sole focus is confirming the specific biological relationship in question; there is no searching for unknown relatives. Communication regarding results typically flows through the agency facilitating the test, like Adore DNA Testing, ensuring a clear and confidential point of contact.

Key Differences Between 23andMe and Paternity Testing

It's crucial to understand these services are fundamentally different:

• Purpose: Broad Ancestry/Health/Relatives (23andMe) vs. Specific Parentage Verification (Paternity Test).

• Provider Type: Large Direct-to-Consumer Company (23andMe) vs. Private collection agencies partnering with accredited labs (Paternity Test).

• Data Scope: Genome-wide scan for diverse insights (23andMe) vs. Targeted analysis of specific markers solely for relationship confirmation (Paternity Test).

• Primary Output: Interactive online platform/reports (23andMe) vs. Formal Probability Report (Paternity Test).

• Data Sharing Context: Optional social/relative-finding features; potential long-term data retention in large databases (23andMe) vs. Strict confidentiality; results shared only with authorized parties; no relative-finding features; defined sample destruction policies (Paternity Test).

Does the 23andMe Situation Affect Paternity Testing Data?

Based on these differences, the answer to whether the 23andMe breach or its subsequent bankruptcy filing applies to data held by separate Paternity Testing services is No.

Here's why:

1. Separate Systems: Paternity labs operate entirely separate databases, IT infrastructure, and security systems from 23andMe. A breach or bankruptcy at one company does not technologically affect the systems of the other.

2. Different Data Handling: The data primarily exposed in the 23andMe breach (ancestry summaries, relative connection data shared via a specific feature) isn't the core data processed or stored for a standard paternity test. Furthermore, accredited labs partnering with Adore DNA Testing typically do not store physical genetic material in large searchable databases and have defined schedules for sample destruction (e.g., physical samples for legal cases are destroyed after 90 days).

   
   

3. Confidentiality Focus: Your privacy is paramount. Reputable paternity labs, especially those holding AABB accreditation like Adore DNA Testing's partners, operate under strict privacy regulations like HIPAA and demanding industry standards. A key part of maintaining AABB accreditation involves demonstrating stringent protocols focused on test result confidentiality and safeguarding your personal information and sample integrity. This means personal information and results are not sold to third-party marketers. Communication is carefully controlled, typically flowing through the collection agency (like Adore DNA Testing) with the lab not contacting clients directly, and results are shared only with the tested parties or legally authorized individuals/entities.

4. No Data Intermingling or Unauthorized Reuse: Your data submitted for a paternity test stays within that specific lab's system for the duration required. It isn't shared with or processed by 23andMe. Critically, another agency cannot request access to previous results or samples; a new test requires client consent and recollection, ensuring your data isn't shared between providers without your explicit involvement. There is limited potential for sample reuse only if the original client provides explicit written consent via a specific form for a new test they order, subject to lab policy and sample viability.

   
   

Conclusion: Clarity in the Age of Data Concerns

While the 23andMe data breach and its fallout, including the recent bankruptcy news, rightly cause concern about genetic data privacy, it's crucial to understand the specifics. The security incident at 23andMe was related to their platform, account security practices, and data shared within their relative-finding feature – functions very different from accredited paternity testing.

Because paternity testing services facilitated by Adore DNA Testing operate as distinct entities with different purposes, data focuses, strict confidentiality protocols, and separate systems, the events at 23andMe do not directly compromise the security of your sensitive information. However, this situation underscores the importance of always inquiring about the specific privacy and security practices of any service you entrust with your personal data.

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