A significant settlement has been authorized in a class action lawsuit involving Canadian clients of the genetic testing company 23andMe who were impacted by a previous data breach. The approved settlement will allocate $3.25 million US for individuals in Canada affected by the breach, which allowed hackers to access customers’ data, including those in Canada, in 2023. Sage Nematollahi, a lawyer at Toronto’s KND Complex Litigation who acted as class counsel, expressed satisfaction with the outcome for the affected Canadian customers.
Last year, the U.S.-based 23andMe declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, aiming to address remaining liabilities stemming from the 2023 data breach. Subsequently, the non-profit organization TTAM Research Institute acquired 23andMe’s assets for $305 million US. Nematollahi noted that this settlement is believed to set a precedent, being the first time a Canadian class action claim has been resolved within a Chapter 11 insolvency proceeding.
The settlement funds are accessible to any individual who was a 23andMe customer between May 1, 2023, and October 1, 2023, residing in Canada at the time of the breach, received notification of being affected, and did not opt out of the settlement. Victims seeking compensation must submit a claim by June 25, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Detailed instructions for filing a claim form can be found on the Canadian settlement website.
