Just how private are mental health apps?
Chatting with an AI-powered therapist after a hard day at the office is convenient, but it’s not necessarily confidential. We’re still in the Wild West when it comes to protecting your privacy on mental health apps.
If you’re not careful, you could be signing your rights away the moment you tap the download button. New research from Mozilla revealed how mental health apps treat personal data, and many failed the test.
*Privacy Not Included
The *Privacy Not Included initiative was launched by Mozilla in 2017. The label aims to give people the knowledge they need to choose products that best protect their privacy. Since the initiative started, over 100 apps and 300 internet-connected devices have been reviewed.
The bad news? Many apps target vulnerable users with predatory ads, share your data and have garbage-quality privacy policies.
1 step forward, 2 steps back
Mozilla’s 2022 investigation revealed that mental health apps were “worse than any other product category” in terms of security and privacy. Oy vey. They gave 29 of the 32 studied apps the *Privacy Not Included label.
This year, the Mozilla team found 40% of the apps were even worse than last year. However, a third of them did improve. Only 19 of the 32 apps in the 2023 investigation received the *Privacy Not Included label.
Mozilla’s most wanted
Which mental health apps should you steer clear from? Mozilla warns that these are some of the worst options:
- Replica: My AI Friend
- Cerebral
Haven’t heard of them? Keep an eye on these well-known apps, which require up-front questionnaires before they show you their privacy policies:
What you really give away when you sign up for Amazon Clinic
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, protects your private information whenever you visit a healthcare professional. Now, the bad news. HIPAA rules and regulations don’t necessarily apply to mental health apps. Here’s what you need to know.
Did you use this mental health app? It shared data with Facebook
Professional therapy can be expensive. Fortunately, mental health apps can help without breaking the bank. But the last thing you want is for one of these apps to share your medical data with the most prominent social media networks.
Privacy warning: Do mental health apps share your data?
No matter what you do online, your privacy should be a priority. Whether you’re shopping or working, your information and data are at risk.
There are ways to protect yourself, including changing your browsing habits, keeping your devices updated and more. Tap or click here to see how a virtual private network can help keep you safe.