Facebook secretly worked on gathering patient data from hospitals

Privacy advocates say the planned data collection has serious implications for patient confidentiality

Facebook planned to gather personal data from patients in US hospitals as part of a proposed research project.

The social network wanted to obtain details about its users’ illnesses and prescription information, CNBC first reported, with the goal of helping medical professionals develop specific treatment plans for patients.

Facebook said in a statement that no patient data was ever actually shared or collected.

“This work has not progressed past the planning phase, and we have not received, shared, or analysed anyone’s data,” the statement read.

Facebook added that the project has since been put on hold in order for it to “focus on other important work”, such as “doing a better job of protecting people’s data.”

The social network is still reeling from a scandal that the personal data of around 87 million Facebook users was improperly shared with he UK-based data firm Cambridge Analytica. More than half of its 2.2 billion users also had their data exposed to malicious actors.

Privacy advocates said the latest revelations concerning hospital patients once again draws attention to the importance of people having a say in how their personal data is used.

“This plan for US patients highlights why patient confidentiality is so important,” Jim Killock, executive director of the digital rights organisation Open Rights Group, told The Independent.

“Some people might agree to medical research being conducted with their data. However, many people would be worried if their doctor got a record of their party-going or late nights, or if their insurance broker ended up with it.”

Concerns that Facebook is failing to properly protect its users’ data has caused some people to leave the social network as part of the #DeleteFacebook campaign.

Facebook has not revealed how many of its users have deserted the platform, but CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed this week that the protest had not had “any meaningful impact”. Despite this claim, Mr Killock said people should still be aware of the power that Facebook wields.

“We’re all rapidly learning how much power Facebook could exercise over our lives,” Mr Killock said. “We need control of our data, or we will lose control of our life chances.”