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Consumers Concerned Data Insufficiently Secured by Wearable, Mobile Health App Manufacturers

Many wearable and mobile health app users don’t feel their data is sufficiently secured by manufacturers, according to a survey by Healthline, a health information and technology provider, a news release said. The survey, which polled 3,679 Healthline.com readers June…

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17-24, found 25 percent of respondents don’t believe their personal health data is secure on a Fitbit or a health tracking app, the release said. About half of respondents, 45 percent, said they were concerned hackers may try to steal their personal health data from their wearable, it said. Lingering and noticeable concerns about protection of personal health information “should be a warning bell for manufacturers to ensure that the security of this new technology is a top priority,” said Healthline CEO Dean Stephens. The survey also found that despite security concerns, consumers “want the health and fitness support that wearable devices provide,” the release said. The average consumer uses two to four health or fitness apps, with 43 percent of respondents saying they stop using an app within six months of using it, the release said.