Register

I agree with the Privacy Policy

In The News

Survey: Consumers Prefer Keeping Wearable Device Data from Insurers

August 17, 2015

remote health monitoring

connected health devices

fitness tracker

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

5G Consumer Market Subscriptions To Hit 17.5 mln In 2020

By the end of 2020, there will be 17.2 million 5G consumer market subscriptions worldwide, concentrated in the US, Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, and major industrial nations in Western Europe,...

20% of US pay-TV subscribers were dissatisfied - study

A fifth (20%) of US pay-TV subscribers were dissatisfied with their pay-TV service at the end of last year, up 100 percent from early 2013, a study from Parks Associates showed. The researcher said hi...

12% of Canadian broadband households have smart home device

Approximately 12 percent of broadband households in Canada have a smart home device such as a smart thermostat, smart door look, or video doorbell, compared to 26 percent in the US, according to data...

Broadband Growth Slowing After COVID-19-Driven Surge: Parks

After “massive growth" in adoption of residential internet during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. broadband growth slowed in 2022 as the “low-hanging fruit has already been picked,” said Parks Associates...

‹
1
2
...
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
...
733
734
›