Mental health apps found to have poor user protection – Knowligent
Mental health apps found to have poor user protection

Mental health apps found to have poor user protection

HomeHow to, TechMental health apps found to have poor user protection

Mozilla has updated its Privacy Not Included buyer's guide, revealing that many mental health apps do a poor job of protecting user privacy.

Mental health apps may not protect your data

Of the 32 apps examined, 27 received a “Privacy Not Included” warning label. Apps marked with this label did not meet Mozilla’s minimum security standards, such as allowing weak passwords and improperly managing vulnerabilities. The guide also tells you whether these apps collect user data.

Apps that have received Mozilla's seal of approval include BetterHelp, MindDoc, and even some Christianity-related apps like Pray.com. Clicking on an item will give you detailed information about what Mozilla found wrong with the app.

For example, BetterHelp’s profile shows all the issues Mozilla has found with the service, including a short privacy policy with a lot of missing information. The app also collects a lot of user data (name, age, phone number, survey answers), which they can share with advertisers and other companies within their group.