Startups are notoriously bad at keeping our data safe. Cerebral — a telehealth startup that launched into popularity during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic — has shared more than 3.1 million U.S. users' private health information with advertisers and social media platforms including Google, Meta, and TikTok.
In a disclosure first reported by TechCrunch, Cerebral said it used tracking technologies made available by third parties like Google, Meta, and TikTok. It's not uncommon for websites to use these kinds of tracking technologies for advertising and it's not uncommon for those practices to end in data breaches and, yes, even HIPAA violations.
That's just what Cerebral did: After reviewing its use of these technologies and data-sharing practices, the company "determined that it had disclosed certain information that may be regulated as protected health information under HIPAA" to some of those third parties. Cerebral may have accidentally given Google, Meta, and TikTok the personal information of its users such as names, phone numbers, email addresses, birthdays, IP addresses, results of their mental health self-assessments, treatments, and other clinical information.
"Upon learning of this issue, Cerebral promptly disabled, reconfigured, and/or removed the Tracking Technologies on Cerebral’s Platforms to prevent any such disclosures in the future and discontinued or disabled data sharing with any Subcontractors not able to meet all HIPAA requirements," Cerebral said in the disclosure. "In addition, we have enhanced our information security practices and technology vetting processes to further mitigate the risk of sharing such information in the future."
The company's notice to customers is not easy to find. You have to scroll all the way to the bottom of the websitewhere you'll find, in small font: "See herefor more information on the March 2023 HIPAA breach." The social media companies that now have access to this data do not have to delete it, even if the data from Cerebral's breach is supposed to be covered under the U.S. health privacy law HIPAA.
Cerebral is just one of the nearly 50 telehealth startups that shared user data with advertising platforms last year, according to a joint investigation by STAT and The Markup.
TopicsHealthPrivacy
(责任编辑：綜合)
Is Samsung's Galaxy Note7 really the best phone?
Massive Sunny and Bo replicas are the best White House holiday decor
Cheese advent calendar is the tastiest holiday item we've ever curd of
Indians went on an iPhone buying spree after government demonetized currency17 questions you can answer if you're a good communicatorNew Zealand designer's photo series celebrates the elegance of aging
Not only is age nothin’ but a number -- it can be a asset when it comes to style.
。 That’
...[详细]
You know how every so often you find yourself awake at some strange hour and suddenly your phone buz
...[详细]Apple Music student subscription is now available in over 30 countries
Students in more countries can now listen to Apple Music at lower prices. Apple has expanded Apple M
...[详细]Hate incidents spike after Trump wins election
A Louisiana woman was standing at a red light when three white men pulled up in a truck. "Fuck your
...[详细]Photos show the Blue Cut fire blazing a path of destruction in California
A fast moving wildfire continued raging near San Bernadino, California, forcing the evacuation of at
...[详细]Cheese advent calendar is the tastiest holiday item we've ever curd of
We all know that one person with an insatiable addiction to cheese. This might just be the perfect h
...[详细]Please enjoy this delightful photo of a woman dressed like her dog
Considering all that went down in November 2016, Halloween costumes are decidedly ancient news. But
...[详细]Indians went on an iPhone buying spree after government demonetized currency
India’s push to invalidate much of its cash earlier this month has taken a toll on several bus
...[详细]'The Flying Bum' aircraft crashes during second test flight
Airlander 10, the world's largest aircraft, on Wednesday crashed at its Cardington Airfield base in
...[详细]Apple Music student subscription is now available in over 30 countries
Students in more countries can now listen to Apple Music at lower prices. Apple has expanded Apple M
...[详细]Airbnb activates disaster response site for Louisiana flooding
Watch Obama age from kid to outgoing POTUS in seconds
