The Intimate Relationship Between Wearable Technology and Our Bodies
Every day, millions of people share intimate information with their accessories, such as smartwatches, smart rings, fitness trackers, and more. These devices monitor body-centric data, including heart rate, steps taken, calories burned, and even location data. Like Santa Claus, they know when we are sleeping, when we are awake, and when we are exercising.
Sharing Sensitive Health Information
People are also sharing sensitive health information on health and wellness apps, including online mental health and counseling programs. Some women use period tracker apps to map out their monthly cycle. These devices and services have excited consumers hoping for better insight into their health and lifestyle choices. However, the lack of oversight into how body-centric data are used and shared with third parties has prompted concerns from privacy experts.
Concerns Over Data Sharing and Privacy
The use of wearable technology and medical apps surged in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, research released by Mozilla indicates that current laws offer little protection for consumers who are often unaware just how much of their health data are being collected and shared by companies. The report "From Skin to Screen: Bodily Integrity in the Digital Age" recommends that existing data protection laws be clarified to encompass all forms of bodily data.
The Value of Health Information
Body-centric data can include information such as fingerprints, face scans, and data from fitness and fertility trackers, mental health apps, and digital medical records. One of the key reasons health information has value to companies is that advertisers can use the data to send targeted ads to groups of people based on certain details they share. The information contained in these consumer profiles is becoming so detailed that when paired with other data sets, it could be possible to target specific individuals.
Gaps in Existing Laws
Gaps in existing laws have allowed the widespread sharing of biometric and other body-related data. Health information provided to hospitals, doctor’s offices, and medical insurance companies is protected from disclosure under HIPAA. However, health data collected by many wearable devices and health and wellness apps don’t fall under HIPAA’s umbrella.
Conclusion
The relationship between wearable technology and our bodies is intimate and complex. While these devices and services have excited consumers hoping for better insight into their health and lifestyle choices, the lack of oversight into how body-centric data are used and shared with third parties has prompted concerns from privacy experts. It is essential that existing data protection laws be clarified to encompass all forms of bodily data and that consumers be made aware of how their health data are being collected and shared.
FAQs
Q: What kind of data are being collected by wearable devices and health apps?
A: Body-centric data, including heart rate, steps taken, calories burned, location data, and sensitive health information such as mental health conditions and menstrual cycles.
Q: Why is health information valuable to companies?
A: Health information is valuable to companies because it can be used to send targeted ads to groups of people based on certain details they share. The information contained in these consumer profiles is becoming so detailed that when paired with other data sets, it could be possible to target specific individuals.
Q: What are the concerns over data sharing and privacy?
A: The concerns over data sharing and privacy are that health data are being collected and shared with third parties without consumers’ knowledge or consent, and that this data could be used to raise insurance premiums, discriminate against job or housing applicants, and perform surveillance.
Q: What can be done to protect consumers’ health data?
A: To protect consumers’ health data, existing data protection laws need to be clarified to encompass all forms of bodily data, and consumers need to be made aware of how their health data are being collected and shared.
