23andMe data breach settlement could give up to $10K to victims

Victims affected by a massive 23andMe data breach could collect a heck of a paycheck. A proposed settlement agreement would offer up to $10,000 to victims.

Under the settlement that still needs court approval, the “company will provide as much as $10,000 to qualifying customers, depending on the hardships they incurred, as well as other security services,” reported CNET. The breach, which affected millions, came to light around this time last year.

Most users whose data was hacked could expect to get a relatively small payout, if and when the settlement is approved. The top-end folks — those who might see that $10,000 — would have to prove they suffered hardships like identity fraud due to the privacy breach.

Nearly 7 million users were affected.

The settlement comes at a particularly unstable time for the genetics company. All of its independent directors resigned from the board last month amid disagreements with the company’s CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki. A detailed report from The Financial Times noted that company has suffered mass layoffs, seen its valuation deflate by billions, and even proposed the relatively cut-rate $30 million settlement with affected users due to the “dire financial condition” of the company.

“I’m certainly not alone in feeling like there’s tremendous value — not just monetary value, but also truly disruptive value that can transform healthcare for people — in what Anne has built,” an anonymous former senior staffer told the FT. “I think that’s why everyone finds it so heartbreaking right now to see things sort of spinning out of control.”