Rick Shera: privacy lawyer on the US states suing 23andMe over plans to auction off genetic information - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Biotechnology company 23andMe is being taken to court by over 27 US states over plans to auction off customers' personal genetic information without their consent.

The company has collected biological samples and genetic information from over 15 million customers - including many here in New Zealand.

Privacy lawyer Rick Shera says 23andMe's built a tempting service - but you never know where this stuff will end up.

"We don't know what they're going to do with it, and that's the problem. Terms of service and privacy policies can be changed almost willy-nilly these days."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.