Open-Source Genetic Database openSNP Shuts Down
The openSNP website founder announced in a recent blog post that the popular open-source gene-sharing website will shut down permanently on April 30, 2025.
Written by Aleksander Hougen (Co-Chief Editor)
Reviewed by Jackie Leavitt (Co-Chief Editor)
Last Updated:
Citing a rise in authoritarianism and the bankruptcy of ancestry service 23andMe, Bastian Greshake Tzovaras announced that the website will shut down permanently at the end of April, deleting all of its data in the process.
openSNP started as a way to make genetic data publicly available for anyone to use, with the intention of lowering the barrier to entry for genetic research. Despite being courted by various investors, the site maintained its independence for more than a decade, during which time it was used by millions of users, including researchers.
Although the website has always faced some criticism over privacy — given that all data uploaded was publicly available — the idea was to present an alternative to genetic databases built by private companies and research institutions that came with a heavy price tag, limiting the access to those who could afford it.
In his blog post, Tzovaras points out that the vast majority of the data in openSNP came from users who had gotten tests from 23andMe, which made him question the future viability of the project now that the testing service has filed for bankruptcy.
For others though, the bigger concern with 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing is the fact that they’re sitting on the genetic information of millions of people; data that would surely be attractive to both law enforcement and corporate interests.
While the immediate reason for the shutdown might be the 23andMe debacle, it’s clear that recent events in the U.S. also spurred this action. Tzovaras directly cites the removal of various government resources by the Trump administration, and all this comes at a time when people are increasingly suspicious of products and services under U.S. jurisdiction.
With the growing threat to digital privacy posed by artificial intelligence, digital rights are already under increased threat. Now, there might be yet another front to worry about in the battle for digital rights, and the closure of openSNP might just be a dark sign of things to come.