Apple's latest privacy ad focuses on health data protection

For long, Apple compared to its peers in the technology industry, has been the most vocal and strong advocate of user privacy. The Cupertino-based company holds privacy has a fundamental right of the customer and should be protected at all costs.

In the latest fun and informative ad, Apple highlights how much important it is to protect health data. Most of us would have experienced when we look for any health-related stuff on the internet on a browser or e-commerce app, or even discuss related things on certain social media, we start getting targeted medicine or medical clinic ads related to the keywords we typed on those apps.

Apple iPhone 11 PRODUCT(RED). Credit: DH Photo/KVN Rohit

Sometimes, due to ignorance, we unintentionally give away permissions for certain apps to track our browsing history, calls, emails, and messenger apps. Here certain app companies get access to personal details and sell them to the highest bidder. The latter uses the data to flood our phones with ads and this becomes purely commercial and lacks empathy toward users who suffering health complications.

Health data is very personal to all and most don't like to share it with anybody except the doctor. Certain app developers and ad companies, though claim that the data is being used to deliver better service and help the customer find the help at the earliest. But, in reality, most of them lack empathy and ethics; their only focus is on minting as much money as possible with ads.

Apple Health data summary (screengrab)

To curb such practices, Apple over the years has increased scrutiny of such apps and made them fully reveal what data the user is being tracked and used for --with the App Tracking Transparency (in iOS 14.5), Do Not Track option, and more features.

Most importantly, Apple has ensured all Health data stored in the device and on iCloud are end-to-end encrypted with passcodes, which ensures nobody, including Apple will have no access to the personal health details of the customer.

Also, Apple devices are well optimised to make the health data as compressed to minimal as possible and yet be able to deliver the most accurate reading and suggestions in a short summary.

For instance, with menstrual cycle tracking, sensors built into Apple Watch such as an optical heart sensor (and skin temperature sensor only in Watch Series and Watch Ultra) and user-logged data can be processed on-device, to provide period predictions and offer retrospective ovulation estimates too. This is the hallmark of the Apple devices ecosystem delivering the best services and the icing on the cake is the data is always protected on the device and iCloud (if the user wants to).

Also, Apple customers can securely share their health data with loved ones or healthcare providers too.

Health Data sharing on Apple iPhone (screengrab)

Here's how to share health data on iPhone (with iOS 15 or newer version):
Step 1: Open the Health app, and tap on Sharing at the bottom of the screen
Step 2: Type the name and select the person
Step 3: Scroll down, then tap View Shared Data
Step 4: Make the changes as per your choice and then tap Done

Furthermore, Apple also offers options to customers to review permission for apps using the microphone, camera, location, and health data on its devices.

Here's how to review permission to apps, which access Health data stored on Apple devices:
Step 1: In the Health app, tap on the profile picture or initials at the top right. If you don't see your picture or initials, tap Summary or Browse at the bottom of the screen, then scroll to the top of the screen.
Step 2: Below the Privacy tab, tap on Apps/ Devices. The screen lists the items that requested access to Health data.
Step 3: There, to change the access for an app/device, tap it, then turn on or off permission to write data to — or read data from — Health.

Apple's new privacy ad:

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