PubHawk
JAMA Netw Open April 2019 PMID 31002321

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation.

Kit Huckvale, John Torous, Mark E Larsen

Download social card

Mentions

130
Peak: 34 in Apr 2019
across 5 sources since Apr 2019

Extended reach

319,441
potential audience

Total likes

19

Video views

60

Mentions per month

Apr 2019 – Jun 2022

Where it's discussed

  • News60 articles
  • X / Twitter44 posts
  • Blogs16 articles
  • Facebook9 posts
  • YouTube1 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions reflect a shared concern about privacy issues, with posts describing the study as a 'fuel for your fire' and emphasizing how many apps transmit data to third parties despite privacy policies. The tone ranges from cautious to urgent, underscoring the need for better transparency and regulations.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge the importance of the study and agree that data sharing practices are concerning.

InterestHigh interest

Posts show high interest, with multiple mentions of the study’s implications and calls for transparency.

EngagementModerate engagement

Users actively reference the article, sharing insights and emphasizing the privacy risks, indicating thoughtful engagement.

ImpactHigh impact

Many posts highlight the significant implications for user privacy and regulatory standards, showing the discussion’s potential influence.

Abstract in brief

  • This study evaluated the privacy practices of popular depression and smoking cessation apps by comparing what their privacy policies said versus what their data actually did, focusing on data sharing with third parties.
  • Results showed that while most apps had privacy policies, many did not clearly disclose all data uses, and most apps transmitted user data to third parties regardless of their policies.
  • The findings highlight a gap between privacy disclosures and actual data handling, emphasizing the need for better transparency and technical scrutiny to protect user privacy in mental health apps.]
Read the full abstract

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Niels H. Chavannes, MD, PhD
@NHChavannes · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/TlSjdos2WP

Apr 27, 2019 · 4 likes · 3 shares · 1,027 followers View post →
BIDMC Center for Healthcare Delivery Science
@BIDMC_HDS · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/eJPw8ni3cC

May 2, 2019 · 3 likes · 3 shares · 258 followers View post →
Matthew Katz, MD
@subatomicdoc · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. Via ⁦@JAMANetworkOpen⁩ #mhealth #HIPAA #hitsm https://t.co/pSMROaV9cO

Apr 25, 2019 · 2 likes · 3 shares · 19,697 followers View post →
PrivacyDigest| @PrivacyDigest@privacydigest@mas.to
@PrivacyDigest · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | #JAMA Network Open https://t.co/NUkusRGfff > Spoiler, they don’t all behave like you’d hope

Apr 28, 2019 · 2 likes · 1 share · 9,928 followers View post →
Richard Poynder
@RickyPo · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation https://t.co/ThRjx0lqQl

Apr 22, 2019 · 2 likes · 8,801 followers View post →
Juan C Ivancevich MD
@Aller_MD · X

“Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation” https://t.co/BenzM5SxH6 https://t.co/SCgaYHXUTe

Apr 29, 2019 · 2 likes · 4 shares · 7,470 followers View post →

All mentions

Mary Heston
@maryheston · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. https://t.co/KvcJvO0SOP

Feb 14, 2020 · 28,446 followers View post →
Health eDefense
@healthedefense · X

RT @healtheconsult: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation https://t.…

Sep 17, 2019 · 2 shares · 13 followers View post →
SocialXYZ
@socialxyz · X

RT @healtheconsult: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation https://t.…

Aug 2, 2019 · 2 shares · 69 followers View post →
Health eConsultation
@healtheconsult · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation https://t.co/v3ZIJNZhpU https://t.co/tXXONDi7WG

Jul 24, 2019 · 2 shares · 10 followers View post →
Center for Technology and Behavioral Health
@DartmouthCTBH · X

Researchers note that identifying data sharing practices within #apps often relies on users’ digital literacy and that relying on privacy policies and similar documentation may not be adequate for identifying privacy risks #CuttingEdgeLit #CTBHDI https://t.co/58ZIMVAzZg

Jun 13, 2019 · 1,643 followers View post →
Javed Alloo
@javedalloo · X

RT @BIDMC_HDS: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation | Depressive Di…

May 2, 2019 · 3 shares · 1,946 followers View post →
midnightdemon__
@midnightdemon__ · X

RT @BIDMC_HDS: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation | Depressive Di…

May 2, 2019 · 3 shares · 1,192 followers View post →
John Torous, MD MBI
@JohnTorousMD · X

RT @BIDMC_HDS: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation | Depressive Di…

May 2, 2019 · 3 shares · 9,497 followers View post →
BIDMC Center for Healthcare Delivery Science
@BIDMC_HDS · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/eJPw8ni3cC

May 2, 2019 · 3 likes · 3 shares · 258 followers View post →
Panagiotis Pegkas
@PPegkas · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/ZzrBfDtXLU

May 1, 2019 · 186 followers View post →
The Policy Scientist
@Greg_Thorson · X

More data privacy concerns: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/XFn7hqxJ1A

Apr 29, 2019 · 94 followers View post →
SLaai
@SocLatAlergia · X

RT @Aller_MD: “Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation” https://t.co/B…

Apr 29, 2019 · 4 shares · 1,783 followers View post →
ARIAguideline
@ARIAGuideline · X

RT @Aller_MD: “Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation” https://t.co/B…

Apr 29, 2019 · 4 shares · 2,352 followers View post →
Fundación Libra
@FUNDACIONLIBRA · X

RT @Aller_MD: “Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation” https://t.co/B…

Apr 29, 2019 · 4 shares · 418 followers View post →
Interasma
@Interasma · X

RT @Aller_MD: “Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation” https://t.co/B…

Apr 29, 2019 · 4 shares · 2,441 followers View post →
Juan C Ivancevich MD
@Aller_MD · X

“Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation” https://t.co/BenzM5SxH6 https://t.co/SCgaYHXUTe

Apr 29, 2019 · 2 likes · 4 shares · 7,470 followers View post →
Susannah Fox
@SusannahFox · X

@allafarce More fuel for your fire: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation, by @programmatik, @JohnTorousMD, and Larsen https://t.co/mhvYBGsysI https://t.co/jNiGLYRVP3

Apr 29, 2019 · 1 like · 38,086 followers View post →
Public Utility Law Project of New York
@UtilityProject · X

RT @PrivacyDigest: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressi…

Apr 28, 2019 · 1 share · 782 followers View post →
PrivacyDigest| @PrivacyDigest@privacydigest@mas.to
@PrivacyDigest · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | #JAMA Network Open https://t.co/NUkusRGfff > Spoiler, they don’t all behave like you’d hope

Apr 28, 2019 · 2 likes · 1 share · 9,928 followers View post →
Natalia Wroblewska, PhD
@wroblewskanh · X

RT @NHChavannes: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive…

Apr 27, 2019 · 3 shares · 106 followers View post →
BIOCIENCIA
@BIOCIENCIA2013 · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation https://t.co/H3SGtPtWzj

Apr 27, 2019 · 1,021 followers View post →
National eHealth Living Lab
@NeLL_2018 · X

RT @NHChavannes: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive…

Apr 27, 2019 · 3 shares · 796 followers View post →
klaasjanbolt
@klaasjanbolt · X

RT @NHChavannes: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive…

Apr 27, 2019 · 3 shares · 334 followers View post →
Niels H. Chavannes, MD, PhD
@NHChavannes · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/TlSjdos2WP

Apr 27, 2019 · 4 likes · 3 shares · 1,027 followers View post →
Duke Forge
@DukeForge · X

RT @subatomicdoc: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. Via ⁦@JAMAN…

Apr 25, 2019 · 3 shares · 1,997 followers View post →
Datadriven
@datadrivencare · X

RT @subatomicdoc: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. Via ⁦@JAMAN…

Apr 25, 2019 · 3 shares · 3,792 followers View post →
CareMo
@caring_mobile · X

RT @subatomicdoc: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. Via ⁦@JAMAN…

Apr 25, 2019 · 3 shares · 6,058 followers View post →
Matthew Katz, MD
@subatomicdoc · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. Via ⁦@JAMANetworkOpen⁩ #mhealth #HIPAA #hitsm https://t.co/pSMROaV9cO

Apr 25, 2019 · 2 likes · 3 shares · 19,697 followers View post →
Kurt R. Müller
@pharmaLevers · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and #Privacy Practices of Smartphone #Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/yoEtijpPv9

Apr 25, 2019 · 327 followers View post →
Josep Vidal-Alaball MD, PhD, MPH
@jvalaball · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of #Smartphone #Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation | JAMA Network https://t.co/TO3R3xNKWN

Apr 25, 2019 · 14,892 followers View post →
BrightonDrJohn
@drjohnsportsmed · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network ⁦@MattHancock⁩ I thought this might be of interest to you and the digital team. https://t.co/5Jldox9O6X

Apr 23, 2019 · 688 followers View post →
Canadian Privacy
@CanadianPrivacy · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. https://t.co/0M326VXEeL

Apr 22, 2019 · 2 likes · 614 followers View post →
Ethics_Geek
@Ethics_Geek · X

RT @rosario_isasi: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressi…

Apr 22, 2019 · 1 share · 116 followers View post →
Rosario Isasi
@rosario_isasi · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/2MuNUGHLqf

Apr 22, 2019 · 1 like · 1 share · 664 followers View post →
Melissa Sweet
@MelissaSweetDr · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/q4QuyMhIsf

Apr 22, 2019 · 28,528 followers View post →
Richard Poynder
@RickyPo · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation https://t.co/ThRjx0lqQl

Apr 22, 2019 · 2 likes · 8,801 followers View post →
Gerd Antes
@gerdantes · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/oEneegPSII

Apr 22, 2019 · 13,189 followers View post →
Adam Leventhal
@AdamMLeventhal · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. New in ⁦@JAMANetworkOpen⁩ https://t.co/FChSjz24Gr

Apr 21, 2019 · 1,590 followers View post →
Antonio Vieira Santos
@AkwyZ · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. #privacy #dataprotection https://t.co/zbDbEL0L20 https://t.co/4uL2unz16w

Apr 21, 2019 · 75,417 followers View post →
Panagiotis Pegkas
@PPegkas · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/ZzrBfDcmUm

Apr 21, 2019 · 186 followers View post →
Médecine Libre (Jérôme Pinguet)
@MedecineLibre · X

"Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation" étude publiée @JAMANetworkOpen. Surprise! Vos apps médicales non libres fuitent vos données personnelles vers Facebook, Google & autres tiers. https://t.co/dibS2sM7nF

Apr 21, 2019 · 3,085 followers View post →
Mary Heston
@maryheston · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. https://t.co/TR1k12zuug

Apr 20, 2019 · 28,446 followers View post →
ATP EGYPT
@ATP_CME · X

Top story: Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation. | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network https://t.co/J2IewT4gr9, see more https://t.co/oT5ZtD4hhQ

Apr 20, 2019 · 243 followers View post →
BIOCIENCIA
@BIOCIENCIA2013 · X

Assessment of the Data Sharing and Privacy Practices of Smartphone Apps for Depression and Smoking Cessation https://t.co/mX22UtplmG

Apr 20, 2019 · 1,021 followers View post →