Addressing Online Health Privacy Risks for Older Adults: A Perspective on Ethical Considerations and Recommendations
The rise in online health information seeking among older adults promises significant benefits but also presents potentially serious privacy risks. In light of these risks, we argue that ongoing research and advocacy aimed at promoting online health information seeking among older adults must be cou...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/23337214221095705 |
| _version_ | 1818275834178306048 |
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| author | Ari B. Friedman MD, PhD Chris Pathmanabhan MBE Allen Glicksman PhD George Demiris PhD Anne R. Cappola MD, ScM Matthew S. McCoy PhD |
| author_facet | Ari B. Friedman MD, PhD Chris Pathmanabhan MBE Allen Glicksman PhD George Demiris PhD Anne R. Cappola MD, ScM Matthew S. McCoy PhD |
| author_sort | Ari B. Friedman MD, PhD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The rise in online health information seeking among older adults promises significant benefits but also presents potentially serious privacy risks. In light of these risks, we argue that ongoing research and advocacy aimed at promoting online health information seeking among older adults must be coupled with efforts to identify and address threats to their online privacy. We first detail how internet users reveal sensitive health information to third parties through seemingly innocuous web browsing. We then describe ethical concerns raised by the inadvertent disclosure of health information, which include the potential for dignitary harms, subjective injuries, online health scams, and discrimination. After reviewing ways in which existing privacy laws fail to meet the needs of older adults, we provide recommendations for individual and collective action to protect the online privacy of older adults. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T22:36:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e96be336956649a79b0df8e92e41f0e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2333-7214 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T22:36:03Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-e96be336956649a79b0df8e92e41f0e72022-12-22T00:09:28ZengSAGE PublishingGerontology and Geriatric Medicine2333-72142022-04-01810.1177/23337214221095705Addressing Online Health Privacy Risks for Older Adults: A Perspective on Ethical Considerations and RecommendationsAri B. Friedman MD, PhDChris Pathmanabhan MBEAllen Glicksman PhDGeorge Demiris PhDAnne R. Cappola MD, ScMMatthew S. McCoy PhDThe rise in online health information seeking among older adults promises significant benefits but also presents potentially serious privacy risks. In light of these risks, we argue that ongoing research and advocacy aimed at promoting online health information seeking among older adults must be coupled with efforts to identify and address threats to their online privacy. We first detail how internet users reveal sensitive health information to third parties through seemingly innocuous web browsing. We then describe ethical concerns raised by the inadvertent disclosure of health information, which include the potential for dignitary harms, subjective injuries, online health scams, and discrimination. After reviewing ways in which existing privacy laws fail to meet the needs of older adults, we provide recommendations for individual and collective action to protect the online privacy of older adults.https://doi.org/10.1177/23337214221095705 |
| spellingShingle | Ari B. Friedman MD, PhD Chris Pathmanabhan MBE Allen Glicksman PhD George Demiris PhD Anne R. Cappola MD, ScM Matthew S. McCoy PhD Addressing Online Health Privacy Risks for Older Adults: A Perspective on Ethical Considerations and Recommendations Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine |
| title | Addressing Online Health Privacy Risks for Older Adults: A Perspective on Ethical Considerations and Recommendations |
| title_full | Addressing Online Health Privacy Risks for Older Adults: A Perspective on Ethical Considerations and Recommendations |
| title_fullStr | Addressing Online Health Privacy Risks for Older Adults: A Perspective on Ethical Considerations and Recommendations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Addressing Online Health Privacy Risks for Older Adults: A Perspective on Ethical Considerations and Recommendations |
| title_short | Addressing Online Health Privacy Risks for Older Adults: A Perspective on Ethical Considerations and Recommendations |
| title_sort | addressing online health privacy risks for older adults a perspective on ethical considerations and recommendations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/23337214221095705 |
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