Apple has launched a new ad campaign featuring a humorous look at health data privacy and how Apple’s Health app protects your health data privacy. The ad’s narration is aptly handled by actress/comedian Jane Lynch, who is known for her offbeat roles in various comedic films and television shows.
The new campaign demonstrates how people both knowingly and unknowingly share about themselves online, making the protection of private health information an important issue. However, Apple’s built-in privacy protections across its devices and services keep users’ health data secure within Apple’s ecosystem.
Worried your most personal data might get into the wrong hands? The Health app on iPhone helps you control who sees your health data—and who doesn’t. Because when it comes to your health, privacy matters.
See how to keep your health data private: https://apple.co/3BBqv7h
Learn more about Privacy: https://apple.co/3Mh18fU
The company has also published a white paper with an overview of how the Health app and HealthKit protect your privacy. In it, Apple cites four pillars of privacy regarding users’ health data:
- Data minimization: iOS minimizes the amount of health data sent to Apple’s servers by generating health metrics on-device. For users with two-factor authentication, a device passcode, and a device running iOS 12 or later Health app data is end-to-end encrypted. As a result, data in the Health app is not readable by anyone – even Apple.
- On-device processing: Data shown in the Health app like Trends & Highlights, resting heart rate, and Cycle Tracking predictions are calculated on-device. This on-device storage and computation helps ensure that Apple does not see this data in order to provide health metrics and summaries.
- Transparency and control: Health data is sensitive, so we make sure you’re in control of what data is shared, who it is shared with, and how it is used. You can view and control data sharing with friends, family, and healthcare providers in the Sharing tab of the Health app. Apps can request access to different types of data through HealthKit — and you can decide what data you want to share, if any.
- Security: Health and fitness data gathered from iPhone and Apple Watch is encrypted on your device with a passcode, and is securely synced from Apple Watch to iPhone. As a result, data in the Health app is not readable by someone with physical access to your device unless they have your passcode. For users with two-factor authentication, a device passcode, and a device running iOS 12 or later data in the Health app is end-to-end encrypted when synced between devices. As a result, no one can view your Health data without your permission.
Apple’s new health privacy ad campaign will be running in 24 regions worldwide across broadcast media, social, and billboards this summer.