Every day, people are sharing personal information with their wearable devices, like smartwatches and fitness trackers, which monitor their health data and activity levels. These devices can track everything from heart rate to steps taken to sleep patterns. In addition to wearable technology, people are also sharing sensitive health information through various health and wellness apps, such as mental health programs and period trackers.
While these devices and apps offer valuable insights into health and lifestyle choices, there are growing concerns about the privacy and security of the data being collected. Privacy experts warn that this data could be sold to third parties, potentially leading to increased insurance premiums, discrimination in employment or housing, and even surveillance. Research indicates that current laws do not adequately protect consumers from the risks associated with sharing their health data.
The Mozilla Foundation’s report highlights the need for clearer data protection laws and expanded privacy regulations to cover health-related information collected from these devices and apps. It also emphasizes the importance of giving users more control over their body-centric data and the ability to opt-out of data collection.
Companies often sell the data they collect to data brokers, who then use it to create detailed consumer profiles. This data can include biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial scans, as well as data from fitness trackers and health apps. Advertisers use this information to target specific groups of people with personalized ads. However, the detailed nature of these consumer profiles raises concerns about individual privacy and the potential for misuse of the data.
The report also highlights the risks associated with location data, which can reveal sensitive information about a person’s health status based on their visits to certain places. Companies like Google have been criticized for retaining this data, despite promising to delete it. In some cases, data brokers have sold sensitive information about individuals’ mental health conditions without their consent.
To address these challenges, there is a need for a new approach to digital interactions that prioritizes individual rights and safeguards bodily data. While existing laws like HIPAA protect health information shared with medical providers, there are gaps in regulations when it comes to data collected by wearable devices and health apps. Some states have started implementing laws to protect consumer health data, but more comprehensive federal legislation is needed to address the growing concerns around data privacy and security.
As the market for body-centric data continues to grow, cybersecurity breaches targeting health-related information have also increased significantly. Hackers are targeting health care agencies and individuals to access valuable data that can be used for extortion. The rise in nonconsensual data sharing poses significant risks to individuals’ privacy and underscores the importance of implementing stronger privacy protections for health data.
