New Genetic Privacy Act Bans Sale of Ancestry DNA Data to China, Enforced by FTC

If you’ve ever spit into a tube to find out you’re 15% Scandinavian or 3% Neanderthal, this new bill is for you. The American Genetic Privacy Act of 2025 is laser-focused on one thing: stopping commercial DNA testing companies from selling your genetic data to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The Data Wall: What’s Being Blocked

This bill creates a hard stop on the international transfer of what it calls “covered information”—which is exactly the genetic data you handed over to that ancestry or genealogy service. The rule is simple: no person or company can sell, offer to sell, or share this data with the PRC or any organization it influences, controls, or owns. This isn't just about selling raw data; the bill specifically bans sharing, even if the data is aggregated (meaning grouped together with others). Think of it like this: if you run a service like 23andMe or AncestryDNA, you can’t make a deal with a Chinese-controlled entity to hand over your customer data, even if you try to anonymize it by lumping it all together.

The Watchdog: Who’s Enforcing This?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is stepping up as the referee. Violating this ban is treated just like an unfair or deceptive business practice under the Federal Trade Commission Act. That means the FTC can use all its existing tools—fines, investigations, and legal action—to make sure these companies comply. This is a big deal because it gives this privacy rule real teeth, linking a national security-adjacent issue directly to established consumer protection law. If a company tries to sneak around this ban, they’ll face the same penalties as a company that lies about its product or service.

Why This Matters for Your Daily Life

For the average person who just wanted to know their family history, this bill is a clear win for privacy. When you send your DNA to a commercial service, you’re trusting them with some of the most sensitive, non-changeable data about yourself. This legislation directly addresses growing concerns that foreign governments could amass huge databases of American genetic profiles for various purposes, from medical research to identifying vulnerabilities. By cutting off a specific, large buyer (the PRC), the bill significantly reduces the risk that your personal genetic blueprint could become a foreign intelligence asset.

The Real-World Impact on Business

For the commercial DNA testing services, this means one less potential—and potentially lucrative—revenue stream. While some companies might have been looking at deals to license or sell their massive datasets to international partners, this bill draws a clear, non-negotiable line in the sand. They must now ensure their data handling and partnership agreements are completely clean of any PRC involvement. The flip side is that this clear boundary provides certainty; they know exactly who they can’t deal with, which simplifies compliance, though it might complicate global expansion efforts for those looking to monetize their data assets.