BetterHelp shared users’ sensitive health data, FTC says

The online counseling service BetterHelp has agreed to return $7.8 million to customers to settle with the Federal Trade Commission for sharing health data it had promised to keep private — including information about mental health challenges — with companies including Facebook and Snapchat. Levine called the proposed order “a stout reminder that the FTC will prioritize defending Americans’ sensitive data from illegal exploitation.” The enforcement action follows a similar one on Feb. 1 in which telehealth and prescription drug discount provider GoodRx Holdings was assessed a $1.7 million penalty for sharing users’ personal health data with Facebook, Google and other third parties without their consent. During the signup process, customers were promised BetterHelp would not use or disclose their personal health data except for limited purposes such as to provide counseling, the FTC said. BetterHelp called the data-sharing practices for which it was sanctioned “industry-standard practice” that is “routinely used by some of the largest health providers, health systems, and healthcare brands.” “Nonetheless, we understand the FTC’s desire to set new precedents around consumer marketing, and we are happy to settle this matter with the agency,” it added in a statement on its website.