The Personal Data You Enter Into Period Trackers And Other Health Apps May Not Be As Private As You Think
You have come to expect privacy issues with social media platforms such as Facebook. Data breaches have become commonplace. But how much should you worry about the apps you use to track highly personal information? According to a 2019 Gallup poll, one in five adults in the United States uses
Posted — UpdatedHealth Apps Routinely Share Data
Of the third parties receiving data, 67% were related to the collection and analysis of user data, including analytics or advertising. Amazon, Alphabet (the parent company of Google) and Microsoft received the highest volume of user data. This finding, the study says, suggests that health app users experience heightened privacy risks.
Health Apps Are Not Well Protected
“A large portion of the assessed apps has been found to jeopardize user’s privacy and security by violating sensitive data protection regulations set to prevent the inappropriate and uncontrollable usage, processing and disclosure of health data to third parties,” the authors wrote in the study’s conclusion. “According to our analysis, a relevant number of popular m-health apps could violate users’ privacy by revealing sensitive information such as health conditions, medical symptoms, photos, location, e-mails and passwords.”
Consumer Reports states that if an app you use shares personal health data, you could be negatively affected. For instance, it could increase rates on insurance or prevent you from receiving coverage without you even realizing it.
So what can you do to protect your personal health information?
- Check the privacy or permissions settings for any health-related app you use and revoke any permissions with which you are not comfortable. For instance, does a weight tracking app really need access to your contact list or location?
- Avoid offering optional information, including your full name, age, interests, mailing address, phone number or email address.
- If an email is required to set up an app, consider creating an alternate email address that is not connected to your primary contact information.
- Be picky about what you download. Free, ad-supported apps are likely going to collect data resulting in targeted advertising.
- If you believe an app is collecting personal data or compromising your privacy without your permission, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC Act prohibits deceptive or unfair acts or practices relating to privacy and data security, including false or misleading claims about an app’s safety or performance.
You should also keep your apps updated, so that any bugs within the apps are fixed.
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