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

More Than Half of U.S. Households Dealt With a Data Privacy Problem, Study Says

A study from Parks Associates, a leading authority in consumer and market research, shows a concerning trend in security threats stemming from smart device use. The “Privacy and Data Protection for...

Actelis Launches Unique, Ultra Low Power In-Building Gigabit Connectivity Solution For Instant Service Provisioning of Multi-Tenant Units

According to a Parks Associates study, over 30% of US residents live in apartments and multi-family units and 50% report experiencing network issues. From the article, "Actelis Launches Unique, Ult...

Unlocking Seamless Connectivity: The Benefits of NETGEAR’s Pro Wi-Fi Design Services and Pro AV Design Services

According to consumer technology research firm Parks Associates, the average home with a smart home device has more than seven smart home devices. Although they serve different functions, those soluti...

Your Devices are Getting Smarter: Here’s How the U.S. Can Build Trust in Them

As of the end of 2022, 41% of American homes have one or more connected devices, and almost a third of homes have more than three devices, according to data from Parks Associates. From the article...

‹
1
2
...
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
...
717
718
›