Youper

Warning: *privacy not included with this product

Youper

Youper, Inc
Wi-Fi

Review date: April 20, 2022

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Mozilla says

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People voted: Super creepy

Youper is a digital mental health service for treating anxiety and depression. It offers online therapy, behavioral coaches, medication services (in California and Texas only), and an AI chatbot. Subscriptions range from $36 to $220 per month and Youper says they do accept some health insurance plans. How does Youper handle their users' privacy? Not gonna lie, reading Youper's privacy policy gave us a good bit of anxiety. 😳

What could happen if something goes wrong?

Yikes Youper! When you say you're "the only mental health service that understands you," it seems maybe you mean that literally.

Youper's privacy policy says they can collect a whole lot of personal information. Everything from name, address, email, birth date, race, religion, sexual orientation and political beliefs, to "Information stored on your mobile device, including in other applications" and even real-time information about the location of your devices. Heck, when you download the Youper app, it asks for permission to access your wearable sensor data (like heart rate monitors). They even say they "will combine information we receive from other sources with information you give to us and information we collect about you." Yikes again!

Not only does Youper collect a ton of personal information, they say they can share this personal information with a number of subsidiaries, affiliates, and third parties, including for marketing purposes. Now, not all that personal information can be used or shared with third parties for things like marketing purposes -- they say personal health information won't be shared with third parties for marketing purposes without your consent, for example. But a lot of that information can be used and shared with third parties for things like targeted advertising and that's what worries us.

That's a whole lot of personal information Youper collects that you really have to hope they keeps secure. Just a reminder, they say on their own privacy page, "Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our Website and App; any transmission is at your own risk." This is a good reminder, what you share on the internet is never, ever 100% safe and secure.

Is there more that worries us? Yeah, there's more. Youper says they "may disclose aggregated, de-identified information about our users, and information that does not identify any individual, without restriction." Here's where we remind you that such de-identified data has been found to be relatively easy to re-identify, especially if location data is included. And Youper doesn't meet our Minimum Security Standards as we were able to login to the app with the weak password "111111". Requiring a strong password on an app that collects and stores so much personal information seems like an easy way to show you care about protecting the privacy of yours users. Too bad Youper doesn't do that.

So yeah, Youper's huge personal data collection and rather scary privacy and security practices leave us thinking there might be better apps to help you manage your anxiety and depression. What's the worst that could happen? Uhg, we don't even want to go there. It would really suck if your personal profile leaked and went up for sale on the dark web where a sketchy group of bad guys accessed it and used it to make your life miserable by outing your mental health problems to the world. Nobody needs that.

Tips to protect yourself

Chose a strong password. Unfortunately, the app will not prompt you to do it.

Possibly limit the data you provide to the app only to what is necessary.

  • mobile

Can it snoop on me? information

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?

Apple and Google sign-ups are possible

What data does the company collect?

How does the company use this data?

Youper says the do not sell personal information.

Youper will combine information we receive from other sources with information you give to them and information they collect about you.

Youper can also collect information stored on your mobile device, including in other applications. This may include, photographs, audio and video clips, and health information. This data will be used only to provide and improve their services, and will not be used or shared with third parties for marketing purposes.

Youper may receive data about you from third parties, such as advertising networks, analytics providers, search information providers, physicians, medical professionals, and pharmacies, etc.

Youper use Facebook Pixel, web analytics, and advertising service provided by Facebook Inc. on their Website and App. The Facebook Pixel service uses cookies, pixel tags, and other storage and tracking technology to collect or receive information from their Website and App based on your usage activity. Facebook uses that information to provide Youper with marketing and advertising services, including targeted ads. The data from Facebook Pixel is also saved and processed by Facebook. Facebook can connect this data with your Facebook account and use it for its own and others advertising purposes, in accordance with Facebook’s Data Policy.

Youper discloses your personal information to certain third parties including companies that assist them with marketing and advertising.

How can you control your data?

Data retention details, deletion request rights and access request rights are mentioned only for Californian residents.

What is the company’s known track record of protecting users’ data?

Average

No known privacy or security incidents discovered in the last 3 years.

Child Privacy Information

Youper is not intended for children under the age of eighteen (18) without parental consent. If you are under 18 and wish to create an account with Youper, your parent or legal guardian must create the account, submit your personal information, and agree to the Privacy Policy on your behalf. In the Google Play store, the app's content rating is "Everyone".

Can this product be used offline?

Yes

User-friendly privacy information?

No

Links to privacy information

Does this product meet our Minimum Security Standards? information

No

Encryption

Can’t Determine

Youper has encryption in transit. We could not determine if they have encryption at rest.

Strong password

No

Accepted '111111' as a password.

Security updates

Yes

Manages vulnerabilities

Can’t Determine

Privacy policy

Yes

Does the product use AI? information

Yes

Youper says "Youper AI Assistant is based on therapy and meditation. Through quick and insightful conversations, Youper helps you master life's ups and downs."

Is this AI untrustworthy?

Can’t Determine

What kind of decisions does the AI make about you or for you?

Suggestions and meditative audios.

Is the company transparent about how the AI works?

Can’t Determine

Does the user have control over the AI features?

Can’t Determine

*privacy not included

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