FTC Prohibits BetterHelp From Sharing Mental Health Data With Advertisers – iTech Post

BetterHelp, an online counseling provider, has settled with the Federal Trade Commission over claims that it shared customer health data with Facebook and Snapchat for marketing purposes. BetterHelp is prohibited from providing sensitive information about mental illnesses to third parties for marketing and ad targeting on Thursday, according to Bleeping Computer.  The FTC Believes That BetterHelp Introduce Risks To Vulnerable Individuals The FTC wants to restrict BetterHelp, an online counseling service, from giving advertisers and marketers access to its clients’ private mental health information. BetterHelp must also pay $7.8 million as part of a deal with the FTC to compensate its customers whose private information was shared with Facebook and Snapchat. BetterHelp is a well-known online counseling service that offers treatment to people who require it, such as those who struggle with depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, addiction, and more. The FTC asserts that BetterHelp employed improper procedures for managing the data of users of its website and apps, including those who have not registered for counseling services. According to the FTC, these activities, which the government agency refers to as “illegal,” pose serious hazards to the health and safety of vulnerable individuals who live in unstable
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