Who really owns your health data? The privacy risks of smartwatches and smart rings
By
Alison DeNisco Rayome
Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, baked to perfection. Worth every minute at the bakery.
Summary
This article examines the privacy and data ownership implications of modern health wearables like smartwatches and smart rings. It explores how these devices go far beyond step counting to collect intimate health data (sleep patterns, fertility, heart rate, etc.) and raises critical questions about who truly owns that data — the user or the company collecting it. The piece discusses the tension between the benefits of health tracking and the risks of personal data being shared, sold, or used in ways users may not fully understand or consent to.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledRemember the days when we were told not to share any information online? How quaint.
The more data we collect, the more we have to ask: who actually owns all of that health data, you or the company collecting it?
Our modern smartwatches and smart rings go far beyond counting steps, constantly collecting data on our fitness, sleep, fertility, and so much more.
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