When Google announced it had reached an agreement to purchase Fitbit, many observers thought was a sign the search giant was finally getting serious about wearable technology.
However, a deeply concerning Wall Street Journal report today lends credence to the other school of thought: That the $2.1 billion expenditure wasn’t about catching the Apple Watch and more about owning the juicy health and fitness data provided by the vast community of Fitbit users.
The WSJ report claims to lift the lid on a secret Google project that is reportedly hoarding the health details of millions of Americans without the knowledge or permission of doctors and patients.
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According to the exclusive report, the sources say Project Nightingale has amassed patient records in 21 states, courtesy of the Ascension health system in the United States – which is the second largest in the country. The report says the Google has racked up:
The data involved in Project Nightingale encompasses lab results, doctor diagnoses and hospitalization records, among other categories, and amounts to a complete health history, including patient names and dates of birth.
The sources say patients are yet to discover the company has access to the details, which have been seen by up to 150 Google, Alphabet and the Google Brain research division employees.
So what does Google want with all of this data? According to those familiar with the matter, Google’s parent company Alphabet is building an AI-based software that can be used to proactively suggest changes to the patient’s care.
We have reached out to Google for comment on the story. It responded to the Wall Street Journal report saying Nightingale is compliant with all US federal laws and health regulations.
Google isn’t the only tech giant seeking to make strides in the healthcare industry, with Apple, Amazon and Microsoft all making inroads. Should we be concerned about this, or can AI solutions improve the healthcare system? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
