OpenSNP, a prominent open-source repository for user-uploaded genetic data, will cease operations and delete its data by the end of April. Co-founder Bastian Greshake Tzovaras cited concerns over data privacy linked to 23andMe's bankruptcy and the rise of authoritarian governments. Established in 2011, openSNP allowed users to share genetic test results and has significantly contributed to research. With 13,000 users and over 7,500 genomes identified, Tzovaras deemed the decision a responsible act of data stewardship amid changing socio-political landscapes.
The risk/benefit calculus of providing free and open access to individual genetic data in 2025 is very different compared to 14 years ago. Sunsetting openSNP - along with deleting the data stored within it - feels like it is the most responsible act of stewardship for these data today.
The decision to shut down openSNP was partly due to concerns about data privacy post-23andMe's financial collapse and the rising threat of authoritarian governments worldwide.
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