Since tidings broke thatGoogle bought Fitbitfor $ 2.1 billion , one of the big motion was how that massive treasure treasure trove of Fitbit data would be deal . Everyone reckon what chance with Nest . As a company , Nest and its data operated separately for a long while , but earlier this year , Nest user were say tomigrate their accounts . Their data was now Google ’s data . The prospect has reportedly led some currentFitbitusersto mull alternative options , mention misgiving that Google would keep its news that Fitbit users ’ information would remain private . Concerned Fitbit drug user have serious reasonableness to be wary — but accuracy be told , Fitbit start exploring ways to make money with your information a long time ago .
To the modal person , Fitbit is more or less known for its hardware . However , one of its lesser - make love businesses is itsFitbit Health Solutionsdivision . It peddlesFitbit Care , the caller ’s “ initiative wellness political program ” that ’s marketed toward employers , wellness plan , health systems , and research worker . In a nutshell , employer or health design get a custom storefront that encourages employees to get discounted Fitbit trackers and smartwatches . During frame-up , the employees are then enrolled in the companionship ’s wellness programme — which includes a information analysis platform that “ help program administrators well motivate employees and evaluate encroachment . ” Among the mesh insights advertise , decision maker can see uninterrupted participation levels and employment , the proportion of employee that meet , fail , or exceed a party or architectural plan ’s natural process goals , trends , as well as group reporting on specific metrics like step and active minute . Individual and chemical group point data are also available for export .
https://gizmodo.com/google-reportedly-amassed-private-health-data-on-millio-1839785548
Photo: Victoria Song (Gizmodo)
It ’s a sight , and there ’s a hazard your troupe or wellness care provider has already vaguely floated the option to you in an email about benefit . John Hancock , one of the prominent North American animation insurers , announced in 2018 that itwill only sell interactive policiesthat make use of wearables like Fitbit or Apple Watches . client who bought in could stipulate for cheaper agiotage and Amazon Prime memberships . as well , Blue Cross Blue Shieldalso launched an exclusive programwith Fitbit last yr that offer hebdomadary deals and special offers on services , gymnasium membership , and other product . UnitedHealthcarealso launched a programthat slaps a Fitbit care 3 on your wrist with the potential to earn more than $ 1,000 a year in incentives if they encounter certain footstep goals . round down things out , when the company ab initio launch the Fitbit Inspire , it was reportedlyonly uncommitted through insurers(though you may now buy it straight from the website ) .
It ’s not like Fitbit has tried to hide this part of its business . At pressure conference and product launches , there ’s always a brief section on how this part of its business is doing — and the phone number ostensibly go up with each subsequent update . It ’s just not headline - grabbing in quite the same way as a shiny new tracker or smartwatch .
As hardware salesbegan dippingamid rising contender and a fracture off from basic trackers , this part of its byplay — the part that is fueled in part by the knowledge Fitbit has a mountain of actionable datum — has only grown . Earlier this year , Fitbit CEO James Parksaidduring an earnings call that he expect Fitbit ’s “ Health Solutions revenue ontogenesis to speed about $ 100 million and to grow non - gadget consumer revenue . ” Parkaddedthat 6.8 million Fitbit users had plugged into the enterprise platform and that its devices were part of 42 Medicare Advantage programs in 27 country nationally . Is Fitbit immediately profit off single health datum in this scenario ? No . But it is , in a sense , selling a product free-base on the fact that it has access to a heap of hoi polloi ’s wellness data .
“ I opine we consider we can drive very significant value by integrate more closely with healthcare , ” Fitbit Vice President Steve Morley aver in aninterview with CNBC . Asked about Fitbit ’s approach to privacy with regard to insurer ‘ experience too much ’ , Morley aver “ Our privacy policy is jolly simple . The data go to the consumer , the exploiter . It ’s for them to opt what data they share . If you put the consumer in ascendancy of that information , with providers or anyone else they ’re wishing to portion out that data with , with that fundamental dogma , we believe the right-hand data can be shared by consumers for the right upshot . ”
It ’s true these corporate wellness programs are opt - in , but that puts the onus on consumers to have a go at it the In and outs of multiple privacy policies . Poking around Fitbit’sprivacy policyraises a few questions about how much control a user in reality has over their data point once Fitbit has it . Specifically , some customers spooked by the Google - Fitbit skill have beenasking on Twitterhow to delete their datum . You ca n’t simply cancel the app — you must edit your data point manually . Fitbit sound out that most information will be deleted in 30 days but that it could take up to 90 daylight to blue-pencil all information and that even then , it may “ preserve information for legal reason or to prevent trauma . ” Anecdotally , one user note on Twitterthat even after edit reproductive wellness data , some trace of it remain in Fitbit ’s app and that back - and - Forth River with client service did nothing to adjudicate the issue .
In the division on data point retention , Fitbit pronounce “ We also keep information about you and your use of the Services for as long as necessary for our lawful business organization interests , for effectual cause , and to forbid harm , including as described in the How We Use Information and How entropy Is Shared sections . ” Does that admit practice session data even after you delete your account ? What data that falls under “ usage of the Services ” constitutes legitimate business sector involvement ? What does “ as long as necessary ” even mean ? Gizmodo reached out to Fitbit for further clarification , but did not immediately invite a reception .
Perhaps underline all this is that the accomplishment is n’t even the first data - related dealings between Fitbit and Google . In April last class , Fitbitannouncedthe two companies were work together to prepare “ consumer and enterprise wellness solutions . ” Basically , Fitbit was interested in Google ’s Cloud Healthcare API to again , further Fitbit ’s integration within the healthcare system by “ connecting user data with electronic medical record . ” As part of the effort , Fitbit moved onto the Google Cloud Platform , a move the company itself described as help oneself to “ accelerate the Fitbit Health Solutions stage business and expand deeper into population health analysis . ”
Technically , none of this runs afoul of secrecy laws at the here and now . That said , HIPAA — the legislation that presently serves as the principal protection for wellness datum — iswoefully out of dateand badly - fit out to handle newer technologies . As for data collected by wear ? That’snot covered by HIPAA . Fitbit ’s privacy policy does particularise that information shared with third parties and the populace is either aggregated or anonymized . Except , studiesshowthat Delaware - discover data can be easily re - identified .
This is just a reminder that Fitbit see its data as a worthful reservoir of revenue , and has been looking to leverage it for a long time . Google did n’t need to be in the moving picture for this to be a concern . Until there ’s strict privacy lawmaking on what technical school companies can and ca n’t do with your wellness datum , the dependable selection is never putting one on your wrist in the first position .
Update , 2025-04-15 , 1:50 pm : Fitbit responded with the travel along command regarding its collective health plans .
“ Fitbit believes that corporate health programs should always be inclusive , voluntary , and should protect the seclusion of the people they are aimed to serve . We take a proactive approach to talking about data privacy with our wellness customers by cater best practices , including the Fitbit communitywellness pledgethat articulates our standards for corporate wellness programs relating to participation , datum usage , compliance and incentives . In plus , Fitbit gives customers ensure over their information and we do not share client personal information except in the circumscribed circumstances describe in our privacy policy athttps://www.fitbit.com/legal/privacy-policy . ”
The fellowship also clarified that when you delete your account , it deletes Fitbit data relate with that account , including “ any heart charge per unit , workout , sleep , or female health datum . ” However , it may take up to 90 days due to that information being stored on backup servers .
FitbitFitness trackingGoogleHealthwearables
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