Privacy is our first priority.

Learn more about what Acorn is doing to protect your privacy and revolutionize the genetic testing industry.

Your DNA is personal - and it should stay that way.

Our privacy policy is dedicated to explaining how we don't collect, store, or use your information - and most importantly, how we protect it. Other genetic testing companies collect and sell your private genetic information, sharing your most personal data with third-party companies, including research organizations and big pharma. Once your information is shared, it’s next to impossible to erase it.

How Acorn Keeps your DNA Private.

What information is collected?

We collect information including your name, phone number, email address, mailing address, billing information, etc. We use this information for a variety of purposes, including: 1) setting up your account, collecting payments and sending you the requested kit, 2) verifying your identity, communicating about our services, 3) requesting customer feedback, and 4) sending you information on new and updated products or special offers that we believe will interest you.

Who can access my results?

Your results will be completely private, and will be accessible only to you. No Acorn employee or contractor will be able to view or use your genetic data. Your data will not be sold or transmitted to third parties. We do not own or manage any part of your DNA, and as a result, it will not be turned over to the government, even upon request, as it will remain entirely and solely within your possession, ownership, and knowledge. Your data will be accessible to other people who you choose to share it with, such as family members, friends, or your personal physician.

How is Acorn Genetics different?

Our kit allows for the entire process of DNA testing to occur in your home, with the result uploaded to a localized software account that only you can see and access. Acorn Genetics, unlike other companies, doesn’t have or own any of your information, and as a result, will be impervious to data breaches that could jeopardize your information. Your genetic information will also not be sold to third parties, and can never be turned over to any law enforcement or government agencies, as it will not be within our power to do so. Your information will remain entirely in your hands, and can be viewed and disclosed only to those who you want to share it with.

In the News

Discover the World of DNA Testing

Articles and tips for choosing which genetic test you need, what to do and not to do, and why genetic privacy is necessary in our ever-changing and increasingly data-hungry world.

7/23/20

Sign the Petition to Protect Your Genetic Privacy!

Sign the petition to protect the privacy rights of consumers in genetic testing.

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7/23/20

Consumer Reports: Your Genetic Data Isn't Safe

CR says better protections are needed for the intimate data you share when you take a direct-to-consumer genetic test

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6/12/19

The New York Times: How to Protect Your DNA Data Before and After Taking an at-Home Test

Mail-in genetic tests offer a wealth of information about your ancestry and insight into medical risks — in exchange for a lot of data. Here’s where that data goes, and how to delete it.

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5/1/19

Wired: The US Urgently Needs New Genetic Privacy Laws

The laws governing DNA data in the US are patchy and incomplete. Yet people keep putting their DNA on the internet, compromising everyone's genetic anonymity.

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10/8/15

The Dark Side of DNA Databases

The “match statistics” generated by analyzing large troves of DNA information are easy to misinterpret.

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