FTC moves to ban BetterHelp from sharing mental health data for ad targeting | Engadget

The FTC claims BetterHelp didn't receive explicit consent from users before sharing their health data, which it pledged to keep private except for limited uses, such as counseling purposes. In its complaint , the agency also accused BetterHelp of not limiting the scope of how third-party companies could use the health data it shared with them.

"When a person struggling with mental health issues reaches out for help, they do so in a moment of vulnerability and with an expectation that professional counseling services will protect their privacy,” FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection director Samuel Levine said in a statement."Instead, BetterHelp betrayed consumers’ most personal health information for profit.

The proposed order, which FTC commissioners approved unanimously, will require BetterHelp to, among other things, obtain explicit consent from users before sharing their data with some third parties for any reason. The company will need to establish privacy protocols to protect user data and delete personal and health information after a certain period of time.

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Wtf this is a paid service as well...

I guess HIPPA doesn't apply to them.

'FTC moves to ban ----' That's usually as far as I need to go to have extreme skepticism of such propositions. Notice the ban is strictly applied for some version of ads only - and not in general.

Showing alcoholics ads for booze is the sort of thing they want not to happen, I suppose.

The 7 Pillars of Societal Influence👇 Madison Avenue Hollywood Academia News Media Social Media (except New Twitter) Music Industry ESPN ALL industries (except New Twitter) are run by Leftists😳

I hope all those podcast drop them as sponsor. Evil bastards.

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