Cerebral has quickly become a household name as one of the largest providers of private health data in the United States. However, this information-sharing comes with risks, as Cerebral has now revealed that it shared mental health assessments from 3.1 million patients with advertisers and social media giants. With so much sensitive information available to those who want to exploit it, it is important for patients and their families to be diligent about protecting their privacy rights.
Since the company’s inception, telehealth startups have been focused on providing a cost-effective alternative to in-person visits. However, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of ensuring patient privacy and security. After learning about a security lapse that exposed patients’ personal information and health conditions, Telehealth startup TheraVista is taking action to ensure patients’ safety. The company is working diligently with authorities to address the issue and protect its customers’ data.
Cerebral said that it collected and shared names, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, IP addresses and other demographics of its mental health patients in order to deliver the best possible mental health care. However, some patients may have felt uncomfortable with this information being shared.
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If an individual created a Cerebral account, the information disclosed may have included name, phone number, email address, date of birth, IP address, Cerebral client ID number, and other demographic or information. If, in addition to creating a Cerebral account, an individual also completed any portion of Cerebral’s online mental health self-assessment, the information disclosed may also have included the service the individual selected, assessment responses, and certain associated health information.
If, in addition to creating a Cerebral account and completing Cerebral’s online mental health self-assessment, an individual also purchased a subscription plan from Cerebral, the information disclosed may also have included subscription plan type, appointment dates and other booking information, treatment, and other clinical information, health insurance/pharmacy benefit information (for example, plan name and group/member numbers), and insurance co-pay amount.
Cerebral has pioneered the use of mental health self-assessments in order to help individuals better understand their own needs and better connect with the necessary resources. By voluntarily disclosing certain information in connection with completing our online mental health self-assessment, an individual helps us to provide the most accurate and relevant resource possible. Through careful data analysis, Cerebral is able to identify trends and patterns that allow us to provide targeted assistance.
For individuals who have both a Cerebral account and purchased a subscription plan, their access to an array of clinical services provided by the company will be greatly expanded. This includes detailed information about treatments, along with other important health related data. Through buying into a subscription plan from Cerebral, individuals can be sure that they are receiving much needed mental health care every month.
Cerebral’s trackers and other data-collecting code was shared with tech giants in real-time by way of trackers and other data-collecting code that the startup embedded within its apps. By doing this, Cerebral was able to share patients’ sensitive information with tech companies and advertisers, often under the guise of analytics but also for advertising. This practice raises many ethical concerns as it allows third parties access to personal data without consent or notification, potentially leading to identity theft or other abuses.
People often have no idea that they are opting-in to this tracking simply by accepting the app’s terms of use and privacy policies, which many people don’t read. By default, apps collect data such as the user’s location, contacts, and other metadata. This information can be used to personalize the app experience or target advertising toward the user. In some cases, apps also track how long someone spends using the app and what pages they visit.
It appears that Cerebral was tracking users without their consent and sharing this information with third party companies. This is in stark contrast to the practices of some of the larger tech companies, who are often loudly committed to user privacy. This discrepancy raises some serious concerns about the relationship between these large tech firms and their customers.
Cerebral is a telehealth startup that handles confidential patient data. The company was recently fined for a data lapse that was the second-largest breach of health data in 2023. Cerebral has made efforts to ensure its patients’ privacy is protected, and its HIPAA compliance demonstrates its commitment to protecting patient information.
Cerebral is just the latest example of a startup that’s terrifying today. With internet speeds getting faster and cheaper, there’s never been a better time to start your own business. But with so much competition out there, it can be tough to stand out. Cerebral is one of the most innovative startups on the market today, and their technology could revolutionize how we
