Warning: *privacy not included with this product
Talkspace
If you've been online lately, chances are you've seen or heard one of the many ads Talkspace runs all over the place -- in podcasts, on TV, on streaming services, on Facebook -- featuring celebrities such as Michael Phelps and Demi Lovato. Talkspace offers users access to online therapy, couples therapy, teen therapy, and psychiatric services. According to Talkspace, it's as easy as taking a brief assessment, picking a provider, and then starting therapy. According to reviews left on the Google and Apple app store pages, it's not nearly so easy as that. Reports of long wait times to be matched with a therapist that fits your needs, unresponsive therapists, and even people reporting being ghosted by their therapist seem to be common enough to raise concern. According to Talkspace, feeling better starts with a single message...here's hoping the 2020 report of mining those messages with your therapist for your data have sorted themselves out. Yes, we found Talkspace does raise a number of privacy concerns.
What could happen if something goes wrong?
Talkspace comes with a fair amount of baggage when it comes to protecting and respecting their users' privacy and security. In 2020, the NY Times reported on allegations from former Talkspace employees about questionable marketing practices and questionable handling of private therapy chat logs. The founders of Talkspace disputed some of the claims made in the article. Consumer Reports reported in 2021 that Talkspace does collect data from Facebook for ads, although they said they only use information about a person before they start therapy. There's also this 2019 article from Mashable detailing more questionable marketing practices and CNBC reported in 2020 about privacy, transparency, and oversight concerns for therapy apps like Talkspace. All of this reporting leaves us concerned. And then there is Talkspace's own privacy policy, privacy notice, and additional privacy statements that leave us concerned. And sometimes scratching our head in confusion too.
Talkspace says they can collect a lot of personal information on users, including name, email, address, phone number, gender, relationship status, employer, geolocation information, chat transcripts and more. While Talkspace says in their privacy notice they will not sell your medical information to others, we could find no promise to not sell non-medical information in their privacy policy (except for residents of California and those in Europe and the UK living under GDPR privacy laws). This is something we like to see stated clearly. They do say they can use your personal information for marketing, tailored advertising, and research purposes. And while your medical information is protected under HIPAA privacy laws -- which is good -- Talkspace also says "your written authorization will be required for uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes and uses and disclosures of your protected health information for marketing." Which indicates that Talkspace could ask for your permission to use your health info and therapy notes for marketing purposes. Which feels like bad form to us.
We did reach out multiple times to try to get answers to our privacy and security related questions to the email address Talkspace lists in their privacy policy for privacy related questions. Unfortunately, they never responded to our questions. After we published our review of Talkspace, they did respond to our questions and confirm they take all the security steps necessary to meet our Minimum Security Standards, including a way for people to report security vulnerabilities. However, we did find a report from Techcrunch in 2020 where one security researcher found a bug in Talkspace, tried to report it to them, and in response Talkspace threatened to sue the researcher. Which feels like even more bad form to us.
So when Talkspace says in their privacy policy, "If you do not want us to share personal data or feel uncomfortable with the ways we use information in order to deliver our Services, please do not use the Services," we think that's pretty good advice.
Tips to protect yourself
- Do not give an authorization to use or disclose your medical information. If you have given it already (or if you are unsure), revoke it by sending an email to [email protected] Otherwise, your medical data including psychotherapy notes may be shared for marketing.
- Ask Talkspace to limit what they use or share with your insurance by writing to record [email protected]
Security
A.I.
Can it snoop on me?
Camera
Device: N/A
App: Yes
Microphone
Device: N/A
App: Yes
Tracks location
Device: N/A
App: Yes
What can be used to sign up?
Yes
Phone
No
Third-party account
No
What data does the company collect?
Personal
Name, address, date of birth, phone number, gender, email, relationship status, employer (sometimes), insurance information
Body related
Audio/video, medical information (includes your medical history, diagnoses, treatments, current medical condition, and use of prescription medications).
Social
Information on friends you refer, on your partner (if you use couples therapy)
How does the company use this data?
How can you control your data?
What is the company’s known track record of protecting users’ data?
TheNew York Times reported in 2020 that former employees and therapists at Talkspace told The New York Times that anonymized conversations between medical professionals and their clients were regularly reviewed by the company so that they could mine them for information. Two former employees told the Times that Talkspace data scientists mine client transcripts and share common phrases with the company's marketing team to better attract potential customers. Talkspace's founders disputed some of the NY Times' findings.
In 2020, TechCrunch reported a security researcher tried to reach out to Talkspace to report a bug he found and the company responded by threatening to sue the security researcher.
Child Privacy Information
Can this product be used offline?
User-friendly privacy information?
Talkspace has two different privacy documents written in complicated language.
Links to privacy information
Does this product meet our Minimum Security Standards?
Encryption
Strong password
Security updates
Manages vulnerabilities
Talksapce says any feedback regarding the security of the plastform should be sent to [email protected]
In 2020, it was reported Talkspace threatened to sue a security researcher over a bug report.
Privacy policy
Does the product use AI?
Matching Algorithm. During onboarding we ask you to provide information so that we can assess your condition and incorporate your preferences. We then leverage a proprietary algorithm (and/or support from a Talkspace consultant) to match you to a provider.
Optimizing Diagnosis and Treatment. Throughout your experience, your provider uses the Talkspace Services to manage your diagnosis and treatment plan. The advanced machine learning features of our proprietary Services include natural language processing of communications with therapists. A core focus of our machine learning strategy is to provide the therapist with insights on patient needs and behaviours and offer techniques and suggestions that we believe are likely to maximize clinical outcomes.
Is this AI untrustworthy?
What kind of decisions does the AI make about you or for you?
Matching you with a healthcare provider.
Provide therapists with insights on patient needs and behaviours and offer techniques and suggestions.
Comments
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