GEDmatch Illegally Sends Illinois Users’ Genetic Data to Facebook, Class Action Lawsuit Says

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A proposed class action lawsuit claims the operator of GEDmatch.com has violated an Illinois privacy law by secretly sharing users’ genetic information with Facebook.

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The 14-page case against Verogen, Inc. alleges that GEDmatch.com—a site where users can upload their genetic testing results and compare their data to thousands of other DNA files—contains a piece of code known as the Meta pixel, a tracking tool developed by the social media company to essentially “wiretap” consumers’ online communications.

According to the complaint, GEDmatch uses the Meta pixel to illegally record users’ interactions with the site and disclose their confidential genetic information to Facebook—all without their knowledge or consent. The lawsuit claims that these transmissions help GEDmatch improve its highly targeted online advertising campaigns, particularly because the tracking technology collects enough information to link a visitor’s interactions on the website with their identity.

Specifically, the data packets GEDmatch sends to Facebook contain visitors’ IP addresses and Facebook IDs, a unique code that can be used to find an individual’s social media profile, the case alleges.

“Reasonable persons simply do not anticipate that their genetic information will be disclosed to an unauthorized party—let alone Facebook, which has a sordid history of privacy violations in pursuit of ever-increasing advertising revenue,” the suit contends.

The Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA) ensures that state residents retain a right to privacy when it comes to their genetic data, the filing says. Specifically, the GIPA prohibits a company from disclosing the results of a genetic test or revealing the identity of a person who underwent such a test without their written authorization, the case explains.

“Genetic information about a person, including the fact that someone took a genetic test, is among the most confidential and sensitive information in our society, and the mishandling of such information can have serious consequences, including heightened risks for discrimination in the workplace, denial of insurance coverage, and data exposures leading to irreversible privacy harms,” the GEDmatch lawsuit says.

The lawsuit looks to represent any Illinois individuals who, during the applicable statute of limitations period, had a Facebook account and uploaded their DNA file to GEDmatch.com according to the defendant’s records.

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