Facebook may be eyeing the healthcare space to create new communities and apps. Given Facebook's privacy history, users will be wary.
Facebook, already an expert at building communities and collecting a wealth of members' information, is reportedly is stepping into the healthcare market.
According to an exclusive report by Reuters, that the social networking company is planning its first experiments with healthcare systems and apps, including "support communities" for people with similar illnesses or conditions, and "preventative care" platforms and apps to help people live healthier lives.
The Reuters post goes on to say that another Facebook development team has been meeting with “medical industry experts and entrepreneurs, and is setting up a research and development unit to test new health apps."
Facebook might use a spinoff or separate company to operate these healthcare initiatives, according to the news service.
Any advertising built around the health initiatives would not be as targeted as it could be on television or other media. Pharmaceutical companies, for instance, are prohibited from using Facebook to promote the sale of prescription drugs, in part because of concerns surrounding disclosures.
PRIVACY CONCERNS
Online communities for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes, cancer, fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue syndrome are not new. Typically, they offer patients, families, and caregivers information on the condition and treatment, support, chat areas, and sometimes shopping.
But privacy and revenue are sensitive areas. While some patients freely share information about their conditions, others prefer to keep that information private from colleagues, employers, marketers, or the world at large.
With complex, frequently changing terms of service and a poor track record of safeguarding users' privacy, Facebook will have a tough time convincing some users it will treat health-related information differently from cat videos or complaints about poor service.
Whereas new players must prove they are worthy of members' trust, a Facebook healthcare community begins at a deficit for some.
Facebook has come under fire this year for allowing researchers to manipulate news feeds for the sake of research, and with the rise in high-profile data breaches worldwide, individuals may be less keen to submit personal information about their state of health online.
Last week the company published a public mea culpa and promised to "do better" after previously demanding that drag queens, transgenders, stalking victims, and others use their real names on their Facebook accounts. The PR makeover following this softening of its ‘real name’ policy, is particularly pertinent to a healthcare venture as many people with health conditions may prefer to use an alias when sharing their health experiences.
According to Rebecca Bartel, Managing Director of Ceutica, "online patient community can be incredibly valuable and can boost public health initiatives. However, online communities must ensure patients have anonymity and an assurance that their confidential health information will not be shared with their online contacts, advertisers, governments or other corporate health organisations."
"Considering how prevalent third-party attacks are, we also need to ask hard questions about how organisations like Facebook will safeguard systems and this critical data."
DIGITAL HEALTH SECTOR GROWTH
Investment in the health sector is growing and Facebook is late to a game compared to Apple and Samsung.
With the release of the iOS 8 operating system, Apple's HealthKit app is now available. This app, if enabled, gathers health and fitness data collected by third-party applications and displays it in one place.
Samsung has launched the Gear Fit wearable and S Heath 3.0 Platform. Samsung executives say is designed to "establish an ecosystem which will ultimately provide users with an integrated and more comprehensive view of their wellbeing." The platform tracks health data via sensors when paired with devices such as the Gear Fit, analysing information before displaying it on a user's smartphone. If the user consents, this data can also be sent to developers.
