Google Health is a free personal health record service provided by Google, which allows users to integrate their separate health records into one centralized profile. By merging users’ input, Google Health gives users a personal health portfolio, including health record, information on conditions and possible interactions between conditions and drugs. Google Health also provides users convenient way to share medical records with insurance companies and doctors. Although Google Health seems a useful and convenient tool, a lot of people qualm about the secure of their health information. Under Google Health’s Terms of Service, , it’s not covered by the “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996”, which means HIPAA privacy laws do not apply to it. Next, Google Health can share uses’ health information with affiliated companies, subsidiaries, other trusted businesses or the U.S. government. Moreover, Google Health can sell off users’ health information to the third party.
Although Google claims to protect users’ health information and addresses the HIPAA concerns in a blog post. Privacy concern issues about Google Health still exist , including how Google Health uses and shares your information, advertising to physicians and privacy concerns, information Security issue of online application. In my opinion, using free web-based service is a kind of trade-off. Users get the free online service by providing their personal information, but users also take the risk of their personal information. Although Google need to address more on privacy concern issues, maybe it’s the price users need to pay.
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I very much agree with Henry. Convenient by using web and privacy concerns are always together. Even though Google provides the convenient health record service, people who have privacy concerns with should not use the service. Because it is obvious that it will threaten you someday.
However, if this is our future using World Wide Web, here are few options we would do; 1) don’t complain with privacy issue which doesn’t exist our future, 2) make a strong dictator to watch any infringement, or 3) introduce cramming system of education for privacy issue so that people are brainwashed to protect privacy.
Many opponents of Google Health are concerned that user data will be shared with insurance companies. Even if user names are not revealed, the insurance companies could use geographic data as the basis for raising premiums in certain cities or states. Because Google has already demonstrated a willingness to share user information with others, privacy is a valid concern. Henry you pick good topic and controversial issue!
Google like any other corporation provides its services at a price. Like any other company, the end goal of Google is to make money and strengthen their profit margin. The services provided by Google are undoubtedly helpful and useful however, as Henry mentioned these services come with a price. It is indeed a trade-off. The final decision is up to the users. If they feel that their privacy is just a small price to pay for the services provided then so be it.
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Good topic, Henry! Personally, I won’t put any information about my health history in Google Health. This is too risky for privacy. You never know how they will use your information. If we have laws to protect us from Google Health disclosure, I still won’t use this kind services. The reason is even if laws can protect you, you still need to think about information security- who know the database that the web services applies can be possibly stolen.
We continue to push companies to address privacy concerns but how much is enough? what will it take for us to fee our privacy to be protected? I believe the solution will be never ending. Even as companies continue to refine privacy policies there is always inherent risk especially with sensitive information being put online from being violated. We can point at companies all we want but at the end of the day a big part of the responsibility falls on the end-user. I definitely agree with the “trade-off” comment.
Privacy in the future will be harder to maintain but I believe through educating the end user and a combination of an active governmental joint action with companies to continue to refine policies and ensure accountability. Privacy can be upheld to certain degree.