ICO concerned by mass health data-sharing with advertisers
The UK’s data regulator has expressed deep concerns over reports that some of the most popular health websites are sharing sensitive data with advertisers across the world.
The majority of prominent health websites embed tracking cookies in users’ browsers without explicit consent to allow third-party companies to track them while surfing the internet.
This data is then transmitted to a swathe of advertising platforms including Amazon and Facebook, with the majority of data sent to Google’s DoubleClick targeted ad platform. This includes information like medical symptoms, diagnoses, drug names and fertility information.
Source: ICO concerned by mass health data-sharing with advertisers | IT PRO
