Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Katie Palmer
Published on 2024-04-11 21:09:38
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently took action against Monument, an alcohol addiction telehealth company, for its misuse of personal health data. The FTC alleged that Monument disclosed health information to third parties such as Meta and Google without users’ consent, while giving users the misleading impression that their health data was kept confidential. As a result, a proposed order has been put forth to settle the allegations, which would prohibit Monument from disclosing sensitive data for advertising purposes and impose other penalties.
This action by the FTC comes following a joint investigation by STAT and The Markup, which revealed that Monument was just one of many telehealth companies leaking sensitive health data through third-party trackers used to track users across the internet and target advertising. This highlights a broader issue within the digital health industry of companies mishandling and exploiting personal health data for commercial gain.
The FTC’s crackdown on Monument serves as a warning to other digital health companies about the consequences of misusing personal health data. It underscores the importance of ensuring user privacy and data security in the telehealth industry, where sensitive health information is shared and analyzed through digital platforms.
The proposed order to settle the allegations against Monument includes provisions to prevent further disclosure of sensitive health data for advertising purposes and to improve data privacy protections for users. This is a step in the right direction towards holding digital health companies accountable for their handling of personal health data and ensuring transparency and consent from users.
The joint investigation by STAT and The Markup sheds light on the disturbing trend of telehealth companies compromising user privacy and putting personal health data at risk. It is imperative for regulators like the FTC to intervene and enforce regulations that protect user data and hold companies accountable for their actions.
In conclusion, the FTC’s action against Monument signifies a broader effort to crack down on digital health companies that misuse personal health data. It serves as a warning to other telehealth companies about the consequences of mishandling user data and highlights the importance of data privacy and security in the digital health industry. By holding companies accountable and enforcing regulations, regulators can help protect user privacy and ensure trust in telehealth services.
