Why you'll *love* our new privacy policy

We’ve updated our privacy policy, and rather than sliding the obligatory notice into your inbox hoping you’ll immediately click *delete*, we hope you’ll skim this post and do a happy dance with us.

It all boils down to the fact that we have a privacy philosophy...not just a legal statement meant to protect the interests of a company. Because we want to be the most patient-centered company in the world, we operate with a core value of radical transparency and we can’t afford to hide behind statements like “Your data is never sold” or “Your identifiable data is never shared.” 

Looking back to 2017

When we created our first privacy statement, we modeled it after a nationally ranked health system (they are in the nation’s top ten hospitals in every single specialty). It was 2017, and our legal counsel recommended that we look to health systems as leaders in the use of health data.

However, in the three years since, we have learned that the standard among start-ups and hospitals alike is to either dance around the issue or give a false perception of privacy. The headlines have been littered with stories:

• Health systems have been sharing medical records with tech giants without any disclosure (Vox)

• Online mental health services often share with ad partners each time you book an appointment or if you’ve attempted suicide (Jezebel)

• Apps that help you save money on prescriptions capture and disclose your entire search history (Consumer Reports)

• Period trackers share your cycle data and reproductive health practices (Buzzfeed News)

Setting a new standard for the industry

Over the past 18 months, we’ve formalized our internal operating standards and developed frameworks to guide us in privacy decisions that rarely have a clear cut “right” answer. And today we’re excited that our new privacy policy catches our legalese up with our actual practices. We hope by continuing to be open about our practices, we will set new standards for the industry, including:

• A revenue-share with users (we celebrated the 1 year anniversary of the Data Dividends program in September, and we’ve had users reach $100 of Data Dividends earned!)

• Publishing descriptions of active studies so you can feel confident that your data only advances patient care

• Blog posts to help you navigate the privacy side of your health apps

• Full disclosure of the data we share with Facebook...and what data stays with our Folia “walls”

• Limiting the use of the Facebook pixel and SDK to the traffic to our public website (www.foliahealth.com) and the clicks on the Register button...but not traffic beyond that

• Keeping our users’ names and email addresses private rather than sharing them with Facebook to create lookalike audiences

This means that it’s more expensive to do user outreach and to grow our company, but we are confident that it’s the right thing to do and have defended this approach countless times to advisors, investors, and other partners. 

We hope you’re doing a happy dance with us, and that weight has been lifted off your already burdened shoulders. We feel that if we’re doing our job correctly, you spend less time worrying about your health and more time focusing on the things that give you a full and rewarding life.