Consumer Reports finds unclear, questionable privacy practices and policies among popular mental health apps

Conclusion: Mental health apps show many of the same patterns we see elsewhere in data-collecting apps. However, the sensitivity of the data they collect means the privacy practices and policies are even more important—especially during a pandemic where people are relying on these services in greater numbers for the first time. Our evaluation shows how there are multiple ways to evaluate how thoughtfully mental health apps handle user data collection, management, and sharing to third parties. We call for all apps to improve on the recommendations highlighted in Section 5—adhere to platform guidelines, institute clear explanations of de-identification of data used for research, increase privacy awareness in the main user experience and be transparent about the service providers that receive user data. Some apps may outwardly mention the third party companies they share in their privacy policies while others may not mention any. Some apps may create clear ways to delete one’s data through the mobile app, while others may limit this user right to California residents based on CCPA. Some apps over collect data such as geolocation which is not necessarily for the app to function. Consumer Reports recognizes there are many nuanced design and data governance decisions that factor into offering high-quality and private-by-design service. By comparatively evaluating popular apps, we can clarify how companies can continue to raise the standard in this emerging category, ensure th...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation 7 Cups BetterHelp consumer-reports ethics mental health apps MindDoc (formerly known as Moodpath) Neurotechnology privacy Sanity & Self Talkspace Wysa Youper Source Type: blogs