The increasing concerns over online privacy, particularly for consumer health data, are being addressed by key agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). However, there remains a significant gap in protecting the privacy of individuals seeking online services for drug use, substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, or recovery.

In an increasingly digitized healthcare landscape, the protection of reproductive privacy has emerged as a pressing concern. Patients frequently encounter medical technology interfaces that may ambiguously request data-sharing consents, like the one provided by Phreesia as outlined in the STAT article by Alex R. Rosenblat. Though seemingly benign, these consents can lead to unintended sharing of sensitive personal and medical information with third-party advertisers. Such practices can jeopardize patient trust, potentially expose them to undue harm, and create an undue burden on them to safeguard their privacy. This concern is exacerbated when healthcare providers and tech companies appear more vested in advertising revenue than in upholding stringent data privacy standards. Given the inherent vulnerabilities and power imbalances patients face when seeking medical care, there is a growing imperative for robust policy interventions, ethical business conduct, and heightened patient education to ensure that reproductive privacy isn't compromised.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has urged the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to intensify regulatory actions against data brokers due to concerns about the invasive nature of data collection and the potential harms to consumers. EPIC emphasizes that everyday activities lead to extensive data profiles, which most consumers cannot evade. They recommend leveraging the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) more effectively to monitor and restrict data broker activities. EPIC's suggestions include confirming FCRA's broad scope, limiting consumer report sales, ensuring data minimization, and applying additional safeguards under the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) like prohibiting secret scoring and certain data disclosures.