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Brian Solis Quoted on Privacy at End of CNET article on Google’s Purchase of Fitbit

Solis’ view on personal privacy in the digital age wrap a CNET feature by Richard Nieva about Google’s purchase of Fitbit. The article is titled, “Google pushes further into health care with Fitbit, raising new privacy concerns.”
The article begins: “Google’s $2.1 billion purchase of Fitbit signals that the search giant is intent on burrowing deeper into our lives, giving it access to some of our most personal health information. If the company’s earlier efforts in health care are any indication, Fitbit owners may want to consider where that information might end up.”

A key point Nieva makes is, “Google’s push into health care comes as lawmakers and consumers increasingly express concerns about the amount of personal information big tech companies collect about users, much of which is used to target ads. On Friday, when it unveiled the deal, Google pledged that Fitbit’s health and wellness data won’t be used for its massive ad business. Still, analysts say Google’s relationship with Fitbit, the most popular step counter on the market, could be even more invasive. Health data could factor into other projects. For example, it could be used for medical apps or deepen the company’s relationships with health insurance providers, said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at Creative Strategies.”

Solis’ quote is used at the end to emphasize the potential dangers. He is identified as “an author and analyst who’s written about how data is changing traditional industries. He says, “Privacy breaches in the hands of the wrong people are devastating. In this case, it’s terribly personal data.”

Read the entire article here: https://www.cnet.com/news/google-pushes-further-into-health-care-with-fitbit-raising-new-privacy-concerns/

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