Your mind for sale

Here’s another little piece I stumbled upon regarding data, privacy and ethics. It never really occurred to me that as much as data brokers resell behavioural data – they’d do the same for mental health data from the panoply of apps that millions of people now use to support themselves.

It’s mirrors the reselling of menstrual cycle data for women that has come into focus after Roe vs Wade was overturned (although subsequently reinstated in many US states) – leaving people exposed to completely unacceptable risk as to their deeply personal data being used ‘against’ them.

I think reselling this type of data – on the open market – is pretty unacceptable, the biggest payers may longer be advertisers but rather AI (back to that old horse again) platforms it’s kind of an example of the many heads of the AI snake that need to be thought about.

Oh, and the irony that the story is on one of Jeff Bezos’ business is not lost on me btw.    

Data brokers are now selling your mental health status - The Washington Post