Many current and former BetterHelp customers have received since a Last yr it reached a $7.8 million settlement with the web therapy provider over allegations that it shared sensitive health information with advertisers.
In 2023, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission accused California-based BetterHelp of sharing consumer data it had promised to maintain secret – including answers to private questions on mental health – to corporations like Facebook and Snapchat for promoting purposes. Users' emails and IP addresses were also shared this fashion, the FTC said.
BetterHelp agreed to settle the FTC's allegations in March 2023. Payments will now be forwarded to affected consumers. About 800,000 people have received notices since Monday that they’re eligible for refunds, the FTC announced this week.
According to the FTCThe payments will go to those that signed up and paid for services on a BetterHelp website between August 2017 and December 2020 – which also covers offerings on platforms resembling MyTherapist, Faithful Counseling and Price Counseling.
Eligible consumers should receive emails from Ankura Consulting Group, an independent redress administrator, about their payment options. For those that don't take motion, the usual payment will likely be via PayPal to their email address – but consumers can go for other methods, resembling Zelle or a paper check, through June 10, the FTC said.
BetterHelp has maintained that the 2023 settlement doesn’t constitute an admission of wrongdoing. In an announcement released following the FTC's announcement this week, the corporate said it’s “deeply committed to the privacy of our members and we value the trust people place in us by using our services.”
BetterHelp added that it has “never” shared private information resembling member names or clinical therapy session dates with advertisers – and that it doesn’t receive payments from third parties for details about its members.
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