Do Health Apps Keep Your Information Safe?

Monitoring self-care habits is great for keeping your health on track, but does it put your privacy at risk? Health tracking apps are all the rage, giving people more control over their well-being from the convenience of their phones. In fact, there are apps available for just about every facet of your health that you could possibly imagine. Both Apple and Android users can access apps that track their daily steps, mental health, menstrual cycles, and even medication. But with so many apps giving you insight into your health, how can you be sure which ones are safe? Today, we’ll explore different aspects of these applications and help answer the question, “Do health apps keep your information safe?” 

Health Apps and You

Health apps dominate the app store market on both iOS and Google devices. Simply typing in the word “health” gives you a seemingly endless array of options to choose from. These apps can even appear natively on certain devices, such as the Apple Health app. Mental health and meditation apps have risen in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic, and are more popular now than ever. Some apps help with dieting, remind you to drink water, and even quit drinking or smoking. Some apps can also work with you to manage your medication. 

While some of these apps have altruistic intentions, many health-based apps sell your private data. This means that any information you’ve given to one of these applications can be sold off to the highest bidder. Alarmingly, recent studies have shown that roughly 79% of health apps share user data. Thanks to these apps, your private information could be in the hands of a stranger right now without your knowledge.

What Information Do Health Apps Collect?

The health apps that you download depend entirely on your personal health goals. If you’re looking to cut back on junk food, you might look for a dieting app. If you want to manage your anxiety, you might look for a mindfulness app. These tools can be useful for anyone looking for guidance on how to better maintain their physical and mental health. 

These applications collect your data and use it to give you a more personal experience that suits your needs. When a sleep-focused app is on, it’s monitoring the length of time when you’re asleep and how well you rest. Your mental health applications may even ask you to detail your more intense moods and instruct you to document them. 

Ultimately, these apps only contain what you put in them. Applications like Couch to 5k and Headspace store information as it relates to running or your mental health, respectively. It’s important to be certain of the data that you want these apps to have, however. Many apps collect data on their users, such as their weight, moods, medication, age, and diet. If this information were to fall into the wrong hands, it could be used against you. Someone with access to your health information could attempt to fraudulently impersonate you to get access to medication. There are countless ways that these health apps could put your privacy at risk.

Do Health Apps Keep Your Information Safe?

Depending on the data that you share with certain apps, your private information may be in danger. When you use a health app, you are agreeing to do so under their terms of service. Many people don’t ever read the terms of service documents, which means they miss certain clauses regarding their personal data. Unfortunately, certain applications have clauses allowing them to utilize the data you share for their own personal gain.

Apps that share your personal data may give it to pharmaceutical companies or tech firms. They can also sell it to manufacturers, insurance agencies, and marketers. Ultimately, the choice to distribute your personal information should be left to your discretion. If most health apps aren’t keeping your data secure, you’ll have to take your privacy into your own hands.

How to Protect Your Health Data

Although some health applications can access your private data, certain adjustments can help improve your privacy. Some app users may not want to transition away from using them entirely. If you want to continue using your personal health apps but still protect your privacy, we can help. Take a look at the following tips for keeping your health data safe and secure on a mobile device.

1. Read through the privacy policy of each health app you own.
2. Avoid free health apps – the “cost” is usually your data.
3. Delete apps on your phone that you never use.
4. Find better alternatives to your favorite apps.
5. Use a VPN to mask your online activity.

When it comes to securing your private information, there are many easy ways to ensure the safety of your data. Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a great way to mask your online activity and hide your private data. With secure protocols built for safely sending and receiving information, a VPN makes it simple to stay protected. No matter what safety precautions you take to keep your data secure, it’s important to ensure your privacy.

Protect Your Privacy with PrivadoVPN

The information you give to apps about your health is data that should receive extra protection. When you share personal information with an app, there is a chance that your data could be used against you. No matter how you use a wellness application, it’s important to ensure that your private information is safe. One great way to protect your privacy is with a reliable VPN.

PrivadoVPN gives you world-class privacy features at a fraction of the cost. Premium users get access to unlimited data, over 300 global servers, and the ability to create up to 10 connections. Plus, with additional privacy protocols like SOCKS5 proxy, you can be sure that your information is safe from prying eyes. PrivadoVPN even offers easy-to-use Kill Switch integration and IP leak protection to ensure that you’re always secure. Sign up now to take back control of your privacy.