This concern was kicked into mainstream
view after Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica
scandal, in which the social network shared a
vast amount of user data, without permission,
with a political consultancy once affiliated with
President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.
It has since touched nearly every corner of
the tech industry, where data is key to digital
advertising and developing features using
customer data.
That concern has not quieted as the companies
continue to push into more aspects of
consumer life.
Google has been pressing into the health
care space in recent months, including an
announced deal to buy wearable company
Fitbit. The company has also hired several
health care executives, hinting at larger health
data strategies to come.
Ascension and Google both acknowledged
privacy concerns, but say the agreement is
compliant with federal law and that health data
will be kept secure.