Many individuals utilize health and fitness tracking apps to enhance their well-being. These apps can provide valuable assistance, but they also have the ability to collect substantial amounts of personal information. This information may include sensitive details such as health conditions, habits, and locations. Consequently, there is a growing concern regarding how these apps handle and share our data.
It is highly likely that the health or fitness apps you currently use are indeed collecting your private data. These apps often sell data to advertisers in order to generate revenue through targeted advertisements. Your data can be used to create a detailed profile of your health interests or needs, allowing advertisers to tailor their ads accordingly. Unfortunately, the data shared by these apps is not protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which is a federal law designed to safeguard health information in the U.S. HIPAA primarily applies to healthcare providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses, but not to app developers or advertising companies. Consequently, these apps may not be obligated to obtain your consent or disclose how they utilize or share your data.
Several prominent health apps, such as Drugs.com Medication Guide, WebMD: Symptom Checker, and Period Calendar Period Tracker, have reportedly been found to share user data with third-party advertisers. A study conducted by researchers revealed that numerous apps contain code capable of collecting user data, including personal identifiers, health information, and device details. The study concluded that these types of apps present significant privacy concerns and emphasized the need for greater transparency and regulation.
Despite the fact that these apps typically do not employ your name or email address to target you directly, they can still use an identifier, which is a string of numbers linked to your phone. For instance, if you were to search for anxiety symptoms on one of these apps, it could transmit your user identifier number and the keyword “anxiety” to advertising companies for targeting and profiling purposes. Moreover, even if your name and email address are not directly shared, your data can still be used to identify you. For instance, if you utilize the same device ID to log in to multiple health apps, advertisers may be able to track your activities across those apps and build a profile based on your interests.
Fortunately, there are health apps available that do not automatically share your private data. Examples include PTSD Coach and Headspace, among others. Mozilla has published a study called “Privacy Not Included” that features these apps, which prioritize user data protection. On the other hand, apps lacking adequate data protection are labeled as such. You can visit Mozilla’s webpage to determine if the app you are using is considered safe or unsafe.
If you are concerned about your data privacy when using health and fitness apps, there are several steps you can take to enhance your protection. Firstly, review app permissions and consider whether granting access to sensitive information is necessary for the app’s functionality. Be sure to check the privacy settings on your device to control app access to sensitive data. Additionally, carefully read the privacy policies of the apps you utilize to gain a clear understanding of how your medical data is collected, stored, and shared. Opting out of data sharing or limiting the sharing of your information is another option provided by some apps. It is wise to stick to well-known and reputable health and fitness apps that have a strong track record of protecting user privacy. Research reviews and privacy practices before installing any app. Lastly, if you are especially concerned about privacy, you might consider exploring offline alternatives to health and fitness apps.
Ultimately, the decision of how much data to share with these apps rests with you. If you are uncomfortable with an app having access to your data, you may choose not to use it or be stringent with the permissions you grant. Hopefully, as the popularity of these apps continues to grow, stricter guidelines will be implemented to regulate the usage of user data.
How concerned are you about your health and fitness apps using your data? Is it a dealbreaker for you? Let us know by contacting us at Cyberguy.com/Contact. For more tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter at Cyberguy.com/Newsletter. Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist known for his passion for technology and gadgets that enhance our lives. He contributes to Fox News and FOX Business, appearing on “FOX & Friends” in the mornings. If you have a tech question or would like to share a story idea or comment, visit CyberGuy.com.
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