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：娛樂)
Michael Phelps says goodbye to the pool with Olympic goldSamsung will credit you with $100 if you exchange your Note7 for another Samsung phone
Proud cat owner dresses cat as ewokTrump pushes conspiracy that Google suppresses negative news about ClintonSamsung Galaxy Note7 teardown reveals the magic behind the phone's iris scannerTwo states took big steps this week to get rid of the tampon tax
This week was a big one for those advocating against a tampon tax. 。 First, on Thursday, California t
...[详细]Steve Aoki jumps into esports arena, buys 'Overwatch' champ team Rogue
LOS ANGELES -- Steve Aoki is the latest celebrity to invest in esports, as the popular DJ -- who's a
...[详细]Reese Witherspoon to pen lifestyle memoir
If you're a celebrity who didn't write a memoir, are you even a celebrity at all? We're no closer to
...[详细]Sorry, but you can NEVER have too much Harry Potter
LONDON -- Harry Potter fans are divided after Warner Bros. announced there would be a whopping fivef
...[详细]Researchers create temporary tattoos you can use to control your devices
In the future, your tattoos could be much more than just ink designs.
。Scientists have created a new
...[详细]Trump makes you just want to binge on cat GIFs, Clinton says
Gazing at cat GIFs is just the thing to cure a mind tired and embittered by the avalanche of Donald
...[详细]Instagram app is now available for Windows 10 PCs and tablets
The Instagram app is finally available for Windows 10 PCs and tablets. 。The app, which took over six
...[详细]Google Daydream brings 'Harry Potter' to VR
Niantic may have shut down rumors about "Harry Potter Go," but never fear, Potter fans -- Google is
...[详细]SINGAPORE -- Getting stuff done at the bank often involves having to waste part of your day standing
...[详细]A classic tale of news aggregation gone wrong
If you wanted to trick a bunch of media outlets into picking up a fake viral story, how would you go
...[详细]