Depression, smoking apps feed user info to commerical third parties

In a study examining smartphone apps for depression and quitting smoking, researchers found that 29 of 36 top apps sent data to third parties like Google and Facebook for advertising and marketing purposes, but only about half disclosed doing so in their privacy policies. The researchers said that users of the apps — who are relying on them for personal issues that can carry stigma — are not asked whether they are comfortable with such data sharing. They added that clinicians who are recommending apps should ideally only pick ones whose policies have been closely scrutinized.