The company agreed to a settlement regarding the use and sharing of consumers’ health information.
The Federal Trade Commissioner (FTC) announced that around 800,000 people will be receiving notices of their eligibility for refunds under a settlement with BetterHelp. The online therapy company agreed to pay $7.8 million to settle allegations of the use and sharing of private consumer data for advertising.
The FTC stated, “BetterHelp shared this information with Facebook, Snapchat, and others for advertising, despite promising consumers that it would only disclose personal health data for limited purposes, such as to provide counseling services. The FTC charged that BetterHelp failed to obtain consumers’ consent before disclosing their health data and failed to limit how third parties use that data.
Those who signed up and paid for BetterHelp services between August 1, 2017, and December 31, 2020, are eligible for refunds. The FTC announcement said that the company’s other counseling websites “are all included in the refund program.“
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For FTC officials as they seek to ensure the protection of consumers’ private health information.
- For wisdom for FTC Chair Lina Khan and members of the commission as they pursue action against companies engaged in illegal practices.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission
