From health applications to wearables and websites, there’s no question that mobile health is a surging industry. According to a report by research2guidance, mHealth is a $2.6 billion industry and is expected to reach $17 billion by 2017. There are currently more than 100,000 health applications, many of which are free to download.
“Health apps that are free, the only way you can get that is if they’re selling your data,” said Dr. Deborah Peel, Founder of Patient Privacy Rights in Austin, Texas.
Dr. Peel said that most consumers don’t realize that their information is being shared.
“In the digital world, the most valuable information about you is anything that has to do with your mind or your body. It sells for far more than social security numbers on the black market,” stated Peel.
Dr. Peel said that mobile health applications and wearables fall into a blurry category that often isn’t regulated by the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse released a study in which it examined 43 popular health and fitness apps, both free and paid. The study found that many of the apps sent unencrypted data without user knowledge. The study also revealed that many of the applications secretly connected to third-party sites. In a similar study, the Federal Trade Commission analyzed 12 mobile health and fitness apps and found that it shared user data with 76 third parties.
“Here’s the shocking part, the sale of health data in the United States is considered to be legal,” Peel expressed.
Dr. Peel said that it is still uncertain how the information is being used, but stated that there are more than 100,000 health data suppliers. She also revealed that there are more than 700,000 live daily health data feeds.
“If you type anything into your phone, if you type anything into health surveys online, you’re just giving people this incredibly valuable information about you, and you don’t know how it will be used against you,” Dr. Peel proclaimed.
