New Delhi: The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has imposed a fine of 1.5 million on an American company health company goodx Holdings to share users’ personal health data with Facebook, Googleand other third parties without your consent, according to media reports.
The company operates a telemedicine platform and has a free-to-use website, as well as a mobile app that tracks prescription drug prices and offers coupons so users can buy drugs at a discounted price.
According to the FTC, the company violated a federal rule that requires health apps to collect personal health information from users in order to notify consumers of data breaches. The data shared by the companies is alleged to include prescription drugs and illnesses.
This is what GoodRx has to say
GoodRx has agreed to settle the case saying it disagrees with the FTC’s allegations and has not admitted to wrongdoing.
“At GoodRx, protecting the privacy of our users is one of our highest priorities. We are thoughtful and disciplined about what information we collect and how and why we use it. The settlement with the FTC focuses on a long-standing issue that was addressed inconsistently proactive nearly three years ago, before the FTC investigation began,” the company said in a blog post.
“We disagree with the FTC’s allegations and do not admit to any wrongdoing. Entering into the settlement allows us to avoid the time and expense of lengthy litigation. We believe that the requirements detailed in the settlement will not have a material impact on our business or in our current or future operations,” he added.
The development comes three years after Consumer Reports claimed that GoodRx was sharing people’s personal health information with more than 20 companies. The company also highlights that almost three years ago it proactively made updates in line with its commitment to be at the forefront of protecting user privacy.
