Many health apps request data without clear consent, study finds
Problem: many health apps seek data not needed. Finding: consent gaps are common; some apps collect more than they disclose.
- Publication
- arXiv
- Stage
- Preprint
- What we read
- Summary of the paper
- Authors
- Ethan Myers, Lorenzo De Carli, Shantanu Sharma, Ritwik Banerjee, Joel Reardon, Indrakshi Ray
- Universities and research institutions
- Not yet supplied in verified metadata; the Brief does not guess.
What they did and found
The study checked over 10,000 mobile health apps and compared data they collect with the stated needs. They used automatic checks to see if consent was given and if data matched promises. About 69% request permissions not tied to disclosed functions; roughly 93% lack a consent screen; among those that show consent, 1 in 14 still collects more data than disclosed.
Why it matters
Regulators and buyers should verify consent steps before using an app. Clinics could audit apps and limit data sharing to what is clearly disclosed.
Researchers checked over 10,000 mobile health apps and compared data they collect with the stated needs. They used automatic checks to see if consent was given and if data matched promises.
Practically, buyers and regulators should demand clear consent steps and align app permissions with what users were told, noting that even popular apps can miss steps.
What remains uncertain
Findings cover initial use on Google Play and may not reflect other platforms or later updates.
Original sources · 1
- Bad Diagnosis: Analyzing Consent and Data Collection Practices of Mobile Medical Apps ↗arXiv · 2026-10-16
Check the original paper for its authors, methods, version and access terms.
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