Law Commons^™

Wearables And Personal Health Data: Putting A Premium On Your Privacy, Alexandra Troiano

Brooklyn Law Review

Recently, insurance companies have gained greater insight into their policyholders’ health habits by incentivizing them to take steps towards a healthier lifestyle through the use of wearable devices. This note addresses the recent trend of insurance companies that offer discounts to policyholders who use Fitbits, or other wearable wristbands, to track and report health information. At first glance, this idea seems like a win-win for insurance companies and policyholders–insurance companies can reduce risk by encouraging healthier habits for their policyholders, and policyholders receive discounts on their health insurance. Despite this synergy, however, this type of program threatens personal privacy, particularly …