Berman Tabacco is investigating potential violations of state privacy laws by the online therapy service BetterHelp, Inc.
State privacy laws provide robust protection against the transmission of personal health information without consent. But unbeknownst to consumers, BetterHelp is alleged to have broken these laws from at least 2013 until at least 2020.
From 2013 until at least 2020, BetterHelp offered online counseling services under a variety of names, including:
- BetterHelp
- Compile
- MyTherapist
- iCounseling
- Terappeuta
- Teen Counseling (counseling services specifically for teens)
- Pride Counseling (counseling services for members of the LGBTQIA+ community)
- Faithful Counseling (counseling aimed at members of the Christian faith)
- ReGain (couples counseling)
As alleged, BetterHelp collected information from users (and even potential users) about their medical history, mental health history, and prescription history, and promised to keep that information private and confidential.
Despite those promises, we are investigating whether BetterHelp allowed online advertising platforms, including Facebook, to install pixels (small bits of computer code) on BetterHelp’s websites and apps. Those pixels collected information—including identifying information such as users’ IP addresses and emails, and their personal health information such as history of therapy and psychiatric medications—and used that information to sell targeted online advertising.
If you used BetterHelp, Compile, MyTherapist, iCounseling, Terappeuta, Teen Counseling, Pride Counseling, Faithful Counseling, or ReGain any time between 2013 and today, you may be entitled to compensation from BetterHelp, Facebook, and others for potential violations of your medical privacy.
The FTC has recently reached an agreement with BetterHelp, requiring the company to pay a $7.5 million fine for the conduct revealed in our investigation. But the FTC’s fine is not designed to provide recompense to users whose private information was given to Facebook and others.
If you are interested helping to hold BetterHelp, Facebook, and others accountable, please provide your information below.
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Contact:
Berman Tabacco
Steven L. Groopman, Esq.
Kristie A. LaSalle, Esq.
One Liberty Square
Boston, Massachusetts
(800) 516-9926
Email: law@bermantabacco.com