Genetic sharing site openSNP to shut down, citing concerns of data privacy and ‘rise in authoritarian governments’

Summary

OpenSNP, a large open source repository for user-uploaded genetic data, will shut down and delete all of its data at the end of April, co-founder Bastian Greshake Tzovaras has confirmed. In a blog post, openSNP’s Greshake Tzovaras attributed the decision to shutter the site due to concerns of data privacy following the financial collapse of 23andMe and the rise in authoritarian governments around the world. Founded in 2011 by Greshake Tzovaras, along with Philipp Bayer and Helge Rausch, openSNP became an open and public repository for customers of commercial genetic testing kits, including 23andMe, to upload their test results and find others with similar genetic variations. The site had close to 13,000 users at the time of its closure announcement, making it one of the largest public repositories of genetic data. Since its founding, openSNP has touted its contributions to academic and scientific research, and identified more than 7,500 genomes. News of openSNP’s shutdown comes in the wake of 23andMe filing for bankruptcy protection, intensifying concerns that the company’s vast banks of customers’ sensitive genetic data will be sold to the highest bidder, who may not adhere to 23andMe’s privacy commitments. The attorneys general for the states of California and New York, among others, have warned 23andMe customers to delete their data ahead of the court-approved selloff later this year. Greshake Tzovaras also said a contributing factor in shutting down openSNP was the “rise in far-right and other authoritarian governments,” citing the removal of public data from the U.S. government’s websites soon after President Trump returned to power. “The risk/benefit calculus of providing free and open access to individual genetic data in 2025 is very different compared to 14 years ago,” wrote Greshake Tzovaras. “Sunsetting openSNP — along with deleting the data stored within it — feels like it is the most responsible act of stewardship for these data today.” “Always been a ba...