Samsung sparks privacy debate with new health data consent request for AI models
Samsung is facing backlash for requiring users to consent to their health data being used for AI model training. Users who opt out are warned that they may lose essential features like cloud syncing, raising concerns about data privacy and coercive consent.
Why it matters
The intersection of personal health data and AI training creates significant ethical and privacy challenges for tech consumers.
Samsung users are raising fresh privacy concerns after the company’s Health app introduced a new consent notice asking users to allow their health data to be used for artificial intelligence (AI) training and modelling. The update, which has started appearing for Samsung Health users worldwide, covers a wide range of personal information, including activity data, health records, medication details and menstrual cycle tracking. Users who decline the consent are warned that some key features, including syncing health data with their Samsung account, may no longer work as expected. The new notice has sparked debate online, with some users arguing that the choice between sharing sensitive health information and keeping cloud-sync functionality limits their ability to opt out without losing convenience. According to the consent notice issued this week, Samsung plans to use eligible health data to train and improve its AI models.
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