Fact Check: "23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2023."
What We Know
The claim that "23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2023" is incorrect. In fact, 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 23, 2025. This filing occurred in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, where the company aimed to restructure its finances and operations, including the potential sale of its assets (Attorney General Bailey Issues Consumer Alert Regarding 23andMe Bankruptcy, Protecting your 23andMe data against resale | AP News). The company has faced significant challenges, including a data breach in 2023 that affected nearly 7 million customers, which contributed to its financial difficulties (23andMe files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as co-founder ...).
Analysis
The claim's inaccuracy stems from the incorrect date of the bankruptcy filing. Reliable sources confirm that 23andMe's Chapter 11 filing occurred in March 2025, not 2023. The Missouri Attorney General's office and multiple news outlets, including the Associated Press (Protecting your 23andMe data against resale | AP News) and Reuters (DNA testing firm 23andMe files for bankruptcy as demand ...), provide consistent information regarding the timeline and context of the bankruptcy.
The sources used are credible, as they include official statements from the Attorney General's office and reputable news organizations known for their journalistic standards. The Attorney General's alert specifically details the bankruptcy process and the implications for consumers, which adds a layer of reliability to the information provided (Attorney General Bailey Issues Consumer Alert Regarding 23andMe Bankruptcy).
Furthermore, the context surrounding the bankruptcy filing—such as the company's struggles with profitability and the impact of a significant data breach—has been well-documented in multiple articles (23andMe files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as co-founder ..., 23andMe Files for Bankruptcy and CEO Anne Wojcicki ...).
Conclusion
The claim that "23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2023" is False. The accurate date of the filing is March 23, 2025, as confirmed by multiple reliable sources. The confusion likely arises from the proximity of the bankruptcy filing to the data breach and other financial challenges the company faced in 2023, but the bankruptcy itself did not occur until 2025.
Sources
- Attorney General Bailey Issues Consumer Alert Regarding 23andMe Bankruptcy
- Protecting your 23andMe data against resale | AP News
- 23andMe files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as co-founder ...
- DNA testing firm 23andMe files for bankruptcy as demand ...
- 23andMe Files for Bankruptcy and CEO Anne Wojcicki ...
- Questions related to 23andMe's Chapter 11 Filing
