Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

Survey: Consumers Prefer Keeping Wearable Device Data from Insurers

According to research firm Parks Associates, the majority of those surveyed indicated that they are not willing to share data collected from wearable devices, even if it meant receiving a discount on their health insurance premiums. In spite of this reluctance, these same consumers were willing to share data for the purpose of troubleshooting the devices themselves.

The results of the survey varied significantly by device. Forty-two percent of digital pedometer owners were willing to share data in order to receive a health insurance discount; for smartwatch owners the total was 35 percent; and for sleep-quality monitor owners it was 26 percent. Nevertheless, a solid majority of device owners was not willing to share data.

Consumers are justified in their concerns about health data privacy. The Los Angeles Times told in July of a security breach in October 2014 where hackers compromised UCLA Health Systems’ computer network, putting 4.5 million patients’ sensitive data at risk. What was troubling about the incident was that it took nearly seven months from the time suspicious activity was discovered in October, to May 5, which is when investigators determined the system was hacked. Additionally troubling was that the data was not even encrypted.

From the article "Survey: Consumers Prefer Keeping Wearable Device Data from Insurers" by Christopher Mohr.

Previously In The News

Streaming vs. Broadcast: Study Finds That 40% of Sports Fans Go Digital-Only

Parks Associates, in partnership with InterDigital, dives deep into this shifting landscape in their new report, Streaming Live Sports: Where Opportunity Meets Complexity. Research from the study g...

White paper examines impact of smart energy management

A recent white paper from Parks Associates, created in partnership with SmartRent, examines how the use of smart energy and water systems can bring down these costs and attract residents. From the...

Sports streaming pain points revealed in report

A report from InterDigital and Parks Associates – Streaming Live Sports: Where Opportunity Meets Complexity – reveals a plethora of information about how US sports fans view content, and the pros and...

Demand response programs improving, but customers remain wary: report

Limited customer awareness remains a significant barrier to participation in residential demand response programs, Parks Associates and Resideo Grid Services said in a report released last month. ...