Hidden Surveillance by Consumer Health Information Websites

Jacquelyn Burkell and Alexandre Fortier

Faculty of Information and Media StudiesUniversity of Western Ontario

Burkell and Fortier

Most Canadians consider health information to be extremely sensitive. It is inappropriate for this type of information to be used in online behavioural advertising.

Interim Privacy Commissioner Chantal Bernier, Jan 15 2014

Burkell and Fortier

How common are trackers on consumer health websites?

Burkell and Fortier

Is there less tracking on sites recommended by information professionals?

Burkell and Fortier

Is there effective disclosure of behavioural tracking practices in privacy policies?

Burkell and Fortier

Consumer Health Info Sites

• 83 Recommended– Consumer and Patient

Health Information Section of the American Medical Library Association

– Consumer Health Information Providers Interest Group of the Canadian Health Libraries Association

• 81 Google– Results from the first

two pages of Google searches of the 10 most commonly searched conditions and not among the recommended sites

Burkell and Fortier

Types of Trackers

• Analytics– Feedback to the site itself– Used by site to improve delivery

• Advertising– Third party advertisers– Assemble user profile across sites for ad targeting

Burkell and Fortier

Finding the Trackers

• Cookies • Ghostery (web beacons)• Charles (web traffic monitor)

Burkell and Fortier

How common are trackers on consumer health websites?

Burkell and Fortier

87% of sites have trackersOn average from 10 different domains

51% have trackers from 3rd party advertisersOn average from 2 different domains

Burkell and Fortier

Is there less tracking on sites recommended by information professionals?

Burkell and Fortier

Trackers

Recommended Google0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

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3rd Party Trackers

Recommended Google0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

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Are some kinds of sites better than others?

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Types of Sites

Recommended Google0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

GovernmentNon-ProfitOther

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Trackers

Government Non-Profit Other0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

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3rd Party Trackers

Government Non-Profit Other0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

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3rd Party Trackers

Recommended Google0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

GovenrmentNon-profitOther

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The Bottom Line

• Most consumer health information sites have trackers

• About half have tracking from 3rd party advertisers– Commercial sites most commonly– Government sites least commonly

Burkell and Fortier

The Bottom Line

• Recommended sites have less tracking– But only because information professionals are

more likely to recommend government sites– Commercial sites that are recommended are no

better than those returned on Google with respect to tracking, not-for-profit sites are actually worse

Burkell and Fortier

Most Canadians consider health information to be extremely sensitive. It is inappropriate for this type of information to be used in online behavioural advertising.

Interim Privacy Commissioner Chantal Bernier, Jan 15 2014

Burkell and Fortier

The Response

• Regulatory control of behavioural tracking measures

• Digital literacy initiatives– Increased knowledge of behavioural tracking

mechanisms and consequences– Public and professional education on strategies to

identify and limit behavioural tracking

Burkell and Fortier 2014

The opinions expressed in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Thanks to:

Burkell and Fortier 2014

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