Legislators have made little progress in preserving consumer health data since the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade last June. Apps for tracking menstrual cycles have raised some eyebrows. Several of these applications’ developers have now added features and rules to assist secure their users’ data.
The Federal Trade Commission announced shortly after the Supreme Court decision that it will take action against firms that exploit health and location data. The FCC moved this week to prohibit online counselling firm BetterHelp from using users’ health data for ad targeting without their agreement. According to the FTC, the corporation exchanged consumers’ email addresses, IP addresses, and health questionnaire replies. BetterHelp claims that clinical data from treatment sessions has never been shared with advertising, publishers, or social media businesses.
