In our time, three things are true. The first is that mobile phones have penetrated so much into our lives, to the point that many of us would say we are addicted. The second is that there are many applications that help us regulate our daily lives and the third is that people, due to pressure, anxiety and living conditions, face psychological problems.
With these three things in mind, apps have been created that aim to promote mental health. However, a study has shown that these apps are not very reliable. The unreliability has mainly to do with the privacy policies they implement.
Some researchers decided to study apps that help treat depression and quit smoking. The study was published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The researchers looked at 36 top apps. They found that 29 of these apps gave users’ data to advertising companies, such as Google and Facebook. What’s worrying is that only 12 of them included in their privacy policies the ability to share user data with other companies.
Nine of the apps sent information that advertising companies could use to track users, create a specific profile, and display targeted ads.
The investigation has not clarified how user information is used by Google and Facebook.
Two of the apps not only provided identity information but also sensitive personal data, such as information about health status, substance use, and more.
The apps examined were about depression and smoking, were available in the iOS and Android , and were aimed at users in Australia and the United States. The research began in April 2018 and lasted until June 2018.
These privacy policies and the sharing of personal data without users' permission is a major issue. Both the mental health community and tech companies need to enact strict measures regarding user privacy.
