New Privacy Concerns over Government’s Health Care Website
New privacy concerns over government’s health care website – The government’s health insurance website is quietly passing along consumers’ personal data to outside websites, just as President Barack Obama is calling for stronger cybersecurity protections.
It works like this: When you apply for coverage on HealthCare.gov, dozens of data companies may be able to tell that you are on the site. Some can even glean details such as your age, income, ZIP code, whether you smoke or if you are pregnant. HealthCare.gov contains embedded connections to multiple data firms that the administration says generate analysis to improve the consumer experience. Officials say that outside firms are not allowed to use this data for their own business interests.
Technology experts who analyzed the site said that some companies were collecting highly specific information such as age, income, and smoking habits, which is raising concerns. The privacy concerns come against the backdrop of President Barack Obama’s new initiative to protect personal data online.
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