Dear reader,
When it was founded in 2006, 23andMe ushered in the era of at-home genealogical testing. DNA sampling was no longer the purview of lab-coated professionals—anyone could swab saliva in their living room and, after mailing it in, receive a full analysis of their genetic origins. The ripple effects have been profound.
In 2018, for instance, a study of third cousins on an unnamed DNA testing site helped identify the notorious Golden State Killer. Closer to home, the practice cracked cold cases such as those of Christine Jessop, and Erin Gilmour and Susan Tice. On a lighter front, celebrities like Kristen Bell, Martha Stewart and Viola Davis televised their DNA testing results on a show called Finding Your Roots.
Then 23andMe fell from grace. After the company suffered a major data breach in 2023, demand for its tests plummeted. This week, the business filed for bankruptcy, meaning all the DNA samples it owns will soon be in the hands of the highest bidder, imperilling customers’ genetic data. It’s a reminder that our genetic codes contain some of our most valuable information, and—sometimes—an intentionally buried fact or two. This week, we’re revisiting “Big Little Lie,” a 2023 feature that chronicles how a 23andMe test unearthed a decades-old family secret.
For more great long-reads from Toronto Life, subscribe to our print edition here.
