The drama and trauma of 23andMe

Explain It to Me

Vox Media Podcast Network

Education, Politics, News, Society & Culture

4.4 • 7.9K Ratings

🗓️ 11 May 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With the at-home DNA testing company 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, what happens to all the data millions of Americans handed over? And how should you approach the family you've found through sites like these? If you have a question, give us a call on 1-800-618-8545. Or send us a note here. Listen to Explain It to Me ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Miranda Kennedy, fact-checked by Melissa Hirsch, engineered by Patrick Boyd and Brandon MacFarland and hosted by Jonquilyn Hill. Photo of 23andMe Ancestry + Traits Service DNA kit by Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	In every company, there's a whole system of decision makers, challenges, and strategies, shaping
0:05.0	the future of business at every level. That's why we're running a special three-part Decoder Thursday
0:09.8	series, looking at how some of the biggest companies in the world are adapting, innovating,
0:14.1	and rethinking their playbooks. We're asking enterprise leaders about some of the toughest questions
0:18.2	they're facing today, revealing the tensions, risks, and
0:21.1	breakthroughs happening behind closed doors. Check out Decoder, wherever you get your podcasts.
0:26.2	This special series from The Verge is presented by Adobe Express. Support for the show comes from
0:32.1	Grooons. If you're looking for a new tasty nutrition solution, then look no further than Grooons.
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0:56.7	Get up to 45% off when you go to grooms.co and use code Vox. That's G-R-U-N-S.co, using code Vox for 45% off.
1:11.1	There's this whole part of me that I'm connected to that I just don't really know anything
1:15.1	about. Is your genetic information really private?
1:19.2	DNA is not destiny, but man, is there something to be said for the power of genetics, right?
1:34.0	This is explained it to me. I'm John Glyn Hill. Each week we answer the questions that matter to you most.
1:40.4	Like, what our weird economic outlook could mean for you. But sometimes we get a question that's way more personal than that. Hey, it's Hannah.
1:49.3	My question is, how do you find a lost relative?
1:53.7	That definitely got my antenna up, so we gave her a call.
1:56.6	It turns out she was looking for her dad.
	...

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