● Covered by 2 sources · 2 reportsMedium impact2 negative
FTC Sues Hims & Hers Over Alleged Patient Data Sharing with Advertisers
Key points
- FTC sued Hims & Hers for sharing patient data.
- Data allegedly shared with Meta, Snap, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, X.
- Hims & Hers offers direct-to-consumer prescription medications.
- FTC claims company violated FTC Act regarding privacy.
- Lawsuit filed in a California federal court.
FTC Files Lawsuit Against Hims & Hers
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a lawsuit against telehealth provider Hims & Hers on Wednesday. The agency alleges that the company shared sensitive health information of its customers with third-party advertising platforms, despite assurances of safeguarding patient privacy.
The lawsuit claims that Hims & Hers provided "sensitive health information about medical conditions" to companies including Snap, Meta, Microsoft, Pinterest, Reddit, and X. This data sharing allegedly occurred through lists of certain customers and via third-party tracking technologies that recorded website visitor actions.
Allegations of Deceptive Practices
According to the FTC, Hims & Hers' actions constitute a violation of the FTC Act, which prohibits unfair and deceptive practices. The federal consumer watchdog stated that the company misled consumers about its privacy practices while actively sharing their medical and healthcare information with advertisers.
Hims & Hers, headquartered in San Francisco, offers direct-to-consumer prescription medications and telehealth products. The company handles sensitive patient data related to conditions such as sexual health, mental health, and weight loss, requiring patients to complete online forms for medical review before treatment.
Methods of Data Sharing
The FTC's complaint, filed in a California federal court, specifies that Hims & Hers placed pixel-sized trackers from various tech and advertising giants on its websites. These trackers, the FTC alleges, captured and transmitted user information to these platforms. Companies typically use such code to gather data about website visitors for advertising purposes.
Broader Regulatory Context
This lawsuit represents the FTC's continued focus on healthcare companies sharing sensitive patient data without consent. It is part of a broader effort by the agency to address concerns regarding data privacy practices within the telehealth industry and how patient information is handled by online health services.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
The daily brief
One email each morning: the day's tech stories, clustered across outlets and summarized. No account needed.
One email a day. Unsubscribe in one click, any time.
Today's brief
Spend a few minutes, get the whole day. Every topic's top stories in one hands-free rundown — listen, watch, or read the transcript.
▶ Play today's brief
New every morning, and the back catalogue is archived by date.
How outlets covered it
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against healthcare company Hims & Hers, alleging that it shared customers' medical information with advertisers like Meta and Snap, and engaged in deceptive billing practices. This action is part of the FTC's ongoing efforts to address healthcare companies sharing sensitive patient data without consent.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sued telehealth provider Hims & Hers, alleging the company shared sensitive patient health information with advertising platforms like Snap and Meta, despite promising privacy. This lawsuit highlights ongoing concerns about data privacy practices within the telehealth industry and could set a precedent for how patient data is handled by online health services.