Category: privacy

Need to Get Plan B or an HIV Test Online? Facebook May Know About It

Twelve of the largest drugstores in the U.S. sent shoppers’ sensitive health information to Facebook or other platforms, according to an investigation by The Markup and KFF Health News.

The Private Sector Steps In to Protect Online Health Privacy, but Critics Say It Can’t Be Trusted

Health data can be shockingly available. A group of nonprofits and corporations is proposing to patch up the holes in health apps, but many of the biggest companies didn’t participate in the proposal’s creation.

Does the Federal Health Information Privacy Law Protect President Trump?

The president’s doctors have used HIPAA — the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act — as a shield to avoid questions about the president’s COVID-19 diagnosis.

To Free Doctors From Computers, Far-Flung Scribes Are Now Taking Notes For Them

Paid even less than low-wage doctors’ scribes in the United States, remote note takers in India gain a foothold in a rapidly expanding industry.

Big Brother Wants To Track Your Location And Health Data. And That’s Not All Bad.

Big data plays a critical role in the success of current public health efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus. Privacy advocates, though, are watching closely.

KHN’s ‘What The Health’: Spending Bill Slowdown

It’s November, do you know where your HHS spending bill is? Still stuck in Congress. Meanwhile, lawmakers move ahead on restricting tobacco products for youth while the administration’s proposal is MIA. Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more health news from the week. Also, Rovner interviews Dan Weissmann, host of the podcast “An Arm and a Leg.”

Cosmetic Surgery And The Secret World of Instagram Dolls

An Instagram community of “doll pages” lets women find valuable information about body-sculpting journeys.

Genetic-Testing Scam Targets Seniors And Rips Off Medicare

Capitalizing on the growing popularity of genetic testing — and fears of terminal illness — scammers are persuading seniors to hand over cheek swabs with their DNA, not knowing it may lead to identity theft and Medicare fraud.

Doctor Alexa Will See You Now: Is Amazon Primed To Come To Your Rescue?

Amazon, along with a host of other technology companies, is working on ways to use its smart speaker devices to bring a range of health care services into your home.

A Wake-Up Call On Data-Collecting Smart Beds And Sleep Apps

An array of products — from mattresses and sensors to sleep trackers and apps — are catching consumers’ attention. But privacy experts are concerned about what becomes of all the personal information these products collect.