Headspace

Waarschuwing: *Privacy niet inbegrepen bij dit product

Headspace

Beoordelingsdatum: 25 april 2023

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Mozilla zegt

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Mensen stemden op: Heel griezelig

Headspace says their mission is to improve the health and happiness of the world. Founded by a former monk who also seems to have a love for the circus, Headspace offers guided meditation and mindfulness tips as well music from John Legend to help you fall asleep. This popular app -- the company claims over 70 million members in 190 countries around the world -- says it wants to be 'your mind's best friend," which sure does sound nice. Seems your mind's best friend also might like to collect and share your data with places like Facebook and Google though so maybe hold off on that BFF label for now.

Wat kan er gebeuren als er iets misgaat?

First reviewed April 20, 2022. Review updated, April 25, 2023
Well dang. In 2022, Headspace was one of the few apps we reviewed that actually did NOT receive our *Privacy Not Included warning label. Unfortunately, in 2023, it looks like Headspace has taken a step backward. This year they earned two privacy dings from us. First, for our concerns about how they say they can share some personal information with third parties, including Facebook, to target ads. We have that same concern this year. This year are also unable to confirm based on Headspace's privacy policy that all users, regardless of what privacy laws they live under, have the right to access and delete their data. Boo! So, it looks like in 2023 Headspace's privacy practices have gotten a bit worse. Headspace now earns our *Privacy Not Included warning label. Bummer.

Read our review from 2022:

Headspace does collect some personal data on users, including -- name, e-mail address, phone number, divine information, app usage data, and Facebook ID -- although seemingly not as much as some of the other mental health apps we reviewed. Still, they collect your personal and app usage information and say they can share that information with third parties like Google and Facebook to target advertising and make personalizations within the app. Unfortunately, this is pretty standard practice for apps like this in our current data economy. Still, it's not great if you care more deeply about your privacy.

Does it matter if Facebook knows when you use a meditation app, if Google knows where you use the app, or if Headspace knows you're searching for a meditation to help you prepare for a big exam? It could. What's the worst that could happen? Well, here's a blog from Headspace talking about how they are developing machine learning applications to use your data in real-time to offer "recommendations that engage our users with new relevant, personalized content that builds consistent habits in their lifelong journey." New, consistent habits could also be interpreted as keeping users using the app as much as possible. One idea they mention in this post is to use users' biometric data such as steps or heart rate to then recommend in real-time more content to get them moving or exercising. OK, that's not necessarily a bad thing. But what more could a company potentially learn about you and do with that data? Perhaps learn your emotional state? Your anxiety level? And then target more content or advertising to you when you're more vulnerable? We don't think this is currently happening with Headspace. But the title of this section is "what could happen if something goes wrong?" And it seems, now or in the future, there are many things that could go wrong with this sort of vast data collection, processing, and the personalization and ad targeting that follows.

All in all, Headspace isn't the worst meditation app we reviewed. It does collect a good amount of data though, shares some of that data with third parties for things such as targeted advertising, and seems to be looking to use more of that data to keep you on the app as much as possible. Like we said, unfortunately, this is the norm for apps in our current data economy. The question is, should it be?

Tips om uzelf te beschermen

  • Check out your privacy references.
  • Follow Headspace's tips to protect your account from a security breach.
  • Consider disconnecting Headspace from Facebook.
  • Opt out of cookies collection
  • Do not log in using third-party accounts
  • Do not connect to any third party via the app, or at least make sure that a third party employs decent privacy practices
  • Do not give consent for sharing of personal data for marketing and advertisement.
  • Chose a strong password! You may use a password control tool like 1Password, KeePass etc
  • Do not use social media plug-ins.
  • Use your device privacy controls to limit access to your personal information via app (do not give access to your camera, microphone, images, location unless neccessary)
  • Keep your app regularly updated
  • Limit ad tracking via your device (eg on iPhone go to Privacy -> Advertising -> Limit ad tracking) and biggest ad networks (for Google, go to Google account and turn off ad personalization)
  • Request your data be deleted once you stop using the app. Simply deleting an app from your device usually does not erase your personal data.
  • When starting a sign-up, do not agree to tracking of your data if possible.
  • mobile

Kan het me bespioneren? informatie

Camera

Apparaat: Niet beschikbaar

App: Nee

Microfoon

Apparaat: Niet beschikbaar

App: Nee

Volgt locatie

Apparaat: Niet beschikbaar

App: Ja

Wat is er nodig om u aan te melden?

Facebook, Apple, Spotify and Google can be used for a sign-up

Welke gegevens verzamelt het bedrijf?

Hoe gebruikt het bedrijf deze gegevens?

We ding this product for sharing personal data with third parties, including Facebook, for targeted advertisement purposes.

Headspace may disclose your personal data "with third parties, such as Facebook, in order to serve Headspace advertisements on such third party platforms, to the extent that you have consented to or have been provided with notice of, and an opportunity to opt-out of, such practices under applicable law."

"We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do share a limited set of data that is gathered when you visit our Websites, such as cookies and pixels, with third parties in order to allow you to see tailored digital advertisements, as further detailed in Section 4 of our Privacy Policy. To the extent this online advertising activity is interpreted as included in California’s broad definition of “data sale”, you may use the opt-out tools described below in Section 5 of this CCPA Notice."

"We do NOT use cookies so that third parties can serve ads to you about their own products or services."

"We do NOT sell or rent your personal information to any third parties for their own advertising or marketing purposes."

Hoe kunt u uw gegevens beheren?

It is not clear if all users can get their data be deleted, regardless of jurisdiction and the privacy laws they live under

"As you may know, a European Union law called the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) gives certain rights to applicable individuals in relation to their personal data. Accordingly, we have implemented transparency and access controls to help such users, including residents of the EU, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom exercise those rights. As required under applicable law, the rights afforded to you are: A right of access: you have the right to obtain (i) confirmation as to whether personal data concerning you are processed or not and, if processed, to obtain (ii) access to such data and a copy thereof. "

"A right to erasure: in some cases, you have the right to obtain the erasure of personal data concerning you. Upon request, Headspace will permanently and irrevocably anonymize your data such that it can never be reconstructed to identify you as an individual. However, this is not an absolute right and Headspace may have legal or legitimate grounds for keeping such data."

"For data relating to your account: such data will be permanently and irrevocably anonymized in the event that your account is: (i) inactive for a period of two (2) years; and (2) not subscribed to “Headspace Plus.” Moreover, we will permanently and irrevocably anonymize your account data within thirty (30) days of your written request to do so via email to [email protected]."

Hoe staat het bedrijf bekend als het gaat om het beschermen van gebruikersgegevens?

Gemiddeld

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

Privacyinformatie voor kinderen

"You must be 18 years of age, or the age of majority in your province, territory or country, to sign up as a registered user of the Products. Individuals under the age of 18, or the applicable age of majority, may view the audiovisual content displayed in the Products only with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian, under such person's account, and otherwise subject to these Terms. This provision shall not be applicable to registrations made under certain Community (as defined below) offerings where specified in applicable contracts between Headspace and the Community."

Kan dit product offline worden gebruikt?

Ja

You can download content to use it offline.

Gebruikersvriendelijke privacy-informatie?

Nee

Koppelingen naar privacy-informatie

Voldoet dit product aan onze minimale beveiligingsnormen? informatie

Ja

Versleuteling

Ja

Sterk wachtwoord

Ja

Beveiligingsupdates

Ja

Beheert kwetsbaarheden

Ja

Privacybeleid

Ja

Gebruikt het product AI? informatie

Ja

Headspace offers personalised and real-time suggestions to guided meditation

Is deze AI onbetrouwbaar?

Kan niet bepalen

Wat voor soort beslissingen neemt de AI over u of voor u?

Personalised offers

Is het bedrijf transparant over hoe de AI werkt?

Kan niet bepalen

Heeft de gebruiker controle over de AI-functies?

Nee

*Privacy niet inbegrepen

Dieper duiken

Opmerkingen

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