Despite this overlooked violation of their privacy, consumers do feel more comfortable sharing relevant personal health information with their insurer (60%) or employer (52%). (Image: Shutterstock)
Considering the length and language used in many terms of use agreements, Americans could be forgiven for not knowing how all of the personal information they share is being used. Not surprisingly, then a recent survey from The Harris Poll, in partnership with MITRE, found just 1 in 10 people think their health insurance provider is tracking their online spending and streaming habits.
Though two-thirds of respondents said it would be "unacceptable" for their health insurer to collect data on their spending or social media habits, in reality, this type of tracking is quite common, according to The Harris Poll. Health insurers and other businesses routinely gather consumer-generated data that can be used to build profiles and predict behaviors and costs, often turning to third-party data brokers.
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Emily Payne
Emily Payne is director, content analytics for ALM's Business & Finance Markets and former managing editor for BenefitsPRO. A Wisconsin native, she has spent the past decade writing and editing for various athletic and fitness publications. She holds an English degree and Business certificate from the University of Wisconsin.
