--- title: Your mental health data could be for sale - The Hustle description: A Duke University study found that data brokers have personal mental health data obtained from apps. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/573956978-HS-News-Brief_2023-02-15T233508.974Z.webp --- # Your mental health data could be for sale ![Sara Friedman](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/HubSpot%20Media/Blog%202021/Images/Nav/Optimized/TheHustle_Icon_Dark.svg) [Sara Friedman](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/sara-friedman) [Sara Friedman Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/sarafriedmannn) Published: February 17, 2023 Updated: October 11, 2023 If you’ve ever used an app to access mental health care, your personal data could be up for grabs. ![Your mental health data could be for sale](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/573956978-HS-News-Brief_2023-02-15T233508.974Z.webp?width=595&height=400&name=573956978-HS-News-Brief_2023-02-15T233508.974Z.webp) A [new study](https://techpolicy.sanford.duke.edu/data-brokers-and-the-sale-of-americans-mental-health-data/) from Duke University outlines a shadowy industry built on buying and selling patients’ personal medical data. Researchers contacted 37 data brokers — companies that collect and sell personal information — and asked for bulk datasets on mental health. Eleven of the brokers agreed. #### **The data included:** - Information that identified health issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, ADHD) - Demographic information (e.g., age, race, net worth, ZIP code) - [Details](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/02/13/mental-health-data-brokers/) on other ailments (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, urinary incontinence) The brokers’ prices ranged from** $275** for 5k aggregated mental health records, to **$100k/yr. **for a data licensing subscription. #### **Is this legal?** Yup. HIPAA, the law that restricts how doctors and hospitals share Americans’ health data, doesn’t protect health information held elsewhere. That means apps have free range for distributing user data. And they do: - A 2021 *Consumer Reports* [investigation](https://www.consumerreports.org/health-privacy/mental-health-apps-and-user-privacy-a7415198244/) found that mental health apps shared user data with advertising companies, including [Facebook](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/researcher-tried-buy-mental-health-data-was-surprisingly-easy-rcna70071). Congress has yet to pass regulatory legislation and data brokers spend [millions](https://themarkup.org/privacy/2021/04/01/the-little-known-data-broker-industry-is-spending-big-bucks-lobbying-congress) on lobbying efforts. But health data in the wrong hands can have serious consequences: - Health insurance companies use data brokers to [raise rates](https://www.propublica.org/article/health-insurers-are-vacuuming-up-details-about-you-and-it-could-raise-your-rates). - Federal law enforcement officers employ data to [pursue](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/02/26/ice-private-utility-data/) undocumented immigrants. - Since Roe v. Wade has been overturned, the buying and selling of health data could [endanger](https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/01/data-information-pregnant-people-00048988) those seeking safe abortions. 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