So I have a new Healthcare insurance and a new healthcare services provider and am being cheerfully encouraged to download apps for each one. Happiness is just a few clicks away, see? But I know that I will next have to create a user name and password FOR BOTH that I'll have to save somewhere along with the 50 other user names and passwords I already have for my Wall Street Journal, Apple Store, bank checking, bank investment, work timekeeping, Google,Vimeo, Spectrum, Uber, Facebook, Political Forum, Best Buy, and Verizon accounts, just to name a few. Is this kind of thing easy and enjoyable for you? It's a giant pain to me, and I think I am, on balance, more stressed before computers saved the world.
There are password managers available for those who cannot manage them themselves. But, why in the world would anyone allow insurance carriers to surveil their every step?
The apps are on your personal device, be wary of what permissions are requested and what you grant. I'm with @Hotdogr , I would not put that on my smart phone or any smart device.
I do too, but I absolutely don't install their surveillance software on my devices. Are they saying installing their software is required for coverage?
I haven't actually tried yet, so I don't know. I'm sure the answer is no, because I didn't do it when invited to do so by my prior insurer. Thank you for suggesting I dispense with it. Are you saying that if I download the app, they will know every time I order a cheeseburger with fries? I'm not being smart; I honestly don't know how that works. I get some spooky alerts from all kinds of vendors every time I do ... anything online, really. Funny: I just looked at Google's password manager at your suggestion, and the first thing it asked for was ... My password.
Put on your tinfoil hat for a minute... Your smart phone has a GPS, a microphone, a camera, velocity and G-force sensors and is connected to the internet full time. It knows exactly where you are, what the camera can see, what you are talking about or listening to, how fast you are traveling, how fast you are cornering, accelerating, and stopping. It knows what stores you visit, perhaps what items you purchase.... everything. Every app you install has access to all of that data, controlled only by the 'permissions' you grant them. There is no way that you can know if those permissions are being enforced, you can only assume they are. There is no way to even turn your smartphone off, completely. There is little incentive for app developers to develop apps for free. They give them to you in exchange for the data about you that they want to collect. In the case of insurance carriers, the only incentive to collect any data about you is to mitigate their risk. And that is never in your favor.
In addition, Google/Apple/Etc. track and store you internet history, you emails, your phone calls and texts, your purchases, your use cycles, all location and habits that involve a smart device. It's the best "full service" surveillance device ever and you are the target. And all this info can be shared by granting permissions assuming the app is vetted properly by the app stores in the first place. Yes, I'm a bit paranoid....
It's not paranoia if everyone really is out to get you! Google is one of the most evil corporations, with regards to surveillance, that exists. People don't realize the depth Google has into the internet. You can NEVER visit any google owned website, and they are still identifying your device, and tracking you.
My only defense of Google would be to observe that in primitive and healthier societies, there were no secrets. Every Comanche knew what every other Comanche was doing every minute of the day. There is really nothing I do that I would not want Google to know about. Not that I'd want them broadcasting my visits to the bathroom, but if random passersby see me eating a Big Mac, I don't see it as a big deal if Google finds out.
Ah! The old "if you're not doing anything wrong, you should not have anything to hide" stance. Well, that is, of course, your prerogative. Do you think your health insurance provider would be interested to know that you regularly eat junk food, or visit tobacco shops, or drive recklessly? Do you think Google would have any compunction about selling that information to them? Would that bother you?
Truthfully, I know it's supposed to, because 1984/Big Brother, and then again it kinda doesn't. If I consent to download the app, and my insurance company's robots notice when I have fries, and they send me a bulletin on the danger of transfats, I kinda sympathize with them.
Well, again, completely up to you. I would not be as concerned about targeted marketing spam as I would being dropped or my premiums being increased.
