openSNP to Shut Down Amid Growing Data Privacy Concerns and Authoritarian Threats
openSNP will shut down in April 2025 due to data privacy concerns and rising authoritarian threats.
Matilda
openSNP to Shut Down Amid Growing Data Privacy Concerns and Authoritarian Threats
As privacy concerns take center stage in today's digital landscape, openSNP, one of the largest open-source repositories for genetic data, will be shutting down by the end of April 2025. This decision comes in response to mounting worries over data privacy, particularly following the bankruptcy of 23andMe and the rising threat of authoritarian governments worldwide. Image:Google Founded in 2011, openSNP provided a space for users of genetic testing kits like 23andMe to upload their results, creating one of the largest publicly accessible genetic databases. By allowing individuals to connect with others who share similar genetic traits, openSNP made significant contributions to scientific research and was used by over 13,000 people before its planned closure. But the rise in global authoritarianism and the increasing misuse of sensitive data have prompted a reevaluation of the risks involved in maintaining such an open platform. Co-founder Bastian Greshake Tzovaras explained that the…
