HIPAA Won’t Shield Reproductive Data; Digital Health Trail Worries
News outlets examine how medical records and online data, including women leaving trace evidence of their reproductive health on websites and in apps, may be impacted by the Supreme Court's controversial decision on abortion. Separately, CNN notes which U.S. companies will cover some abortion costs.
Stat:
HIPAA Doesn't Protect Reproductive Records From Prosecutors
With Roe v. Wade now overturned, patients are wondering whether federal laws will shield their reproductive health data from state law enforcement, or legal action more broadly. The answer, currently, is no. If there’s a warrant, court order, or subpoena for the release of those medical records, then a clinic is required to hand them over. And patients and providers may be made legally vulnerable by the enormous trail of health-related data we all generate through their devices every day. (Boodman, Bannow, Herman and Ross, 6/24)
How to make it harder for someone to track your health data —
The Washington Post:
Seeking An Abortion? Here’s How To Avoid Leaving A Digital Trail.
Everything you do online is already tracked. That information is about to become even more sensitive if you’re seeking an abortion in the United States. (Kelly, Hunter and Abril, 6/26)
The Wall Street Journal:
Period-Tracker Apps Aim For Anonymity Following Roe V. Wade Decision
Developers of period trackers and fertility apps are working on ways to anonymize user data in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling that struck down the constitutional right to an abortion. Millions of women use services such as Flo, Clue and Apple’s Health app to help them become pregnant, avoid pregnancy or know when their next period is due. The court’s decision brought more attention to the services, which hold sensitive data that could be used against people in states where abortion may be criminalized. (James and Tibken, 6/26)
The Washington Post:
How To Delete Yourself From The Internet
You can’t fully scrub yourself from the internet. A little bit of you will always linger, whether it’s in data-broker databases, on old social media you forgot about or in the back of someone else’s vacation photos on Flickr. That’s no reason to give up! You can absolutely take steps to protect your privacy by cleaning up things like your Google results. For the best results you’ll need time, money, patience, and to live in a country or state with strong privacy laws. (Kelly, 6/24)
ABC News:
Abortions To Move Underground In Half The US: Here's How It Might Work
Before the Supreme Court released its ruling Friday upending abortion rights in the U.S., Elisa Wells was thinking of virtual mailboxes. For people who move or travel a lot, a virtual mailbox is a way to check their mail online. If an item is critical, they forward it to their current location. For Wells, founder of the online abortion site Plan C, which tells women how to find the abortion pill, it’s a potential workaround to state laws restricting access. (Flaherty, 6/25)
Also —
CNN:
These US Companies Will Cover Travel Costs For Employees Who Need An Abortion
After the Supreme Court ruled on Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade, corporate giants from a range of industries pledged to provide support and financial assistance for employees — and, in some cases, their dependents — seeking abortions in states that outlaw the procedure. (Duffy and Korn, 6/25)
