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Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
RFK Jr. Wants Every American To Wear A Health-Tracking Device, And Security Experts Have Serious Concerns
If you don't yet wear a smartwatch or smart ring to monitor your health and fitness, you may soon be encouraged to do so by some of the highest-ranking members of the government. During a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he'd like all Americans to use wearable health products, such as Fitbits, Apple Watches, Oura Rings, WHOOP and glucose monitors, to 'control' their health and 'take responsibility' for it. According to Poltico, Kennedy said people can use wearables to track 'what food is doing to their glucose levels, their heart rates and a number of other metrics as they eat it, and they can begin to make good judgments about their diet, about their physical activity, about the way that they live their lives.' While this remains just a suggestion and not a mandate, it's been announced that the Department of Health and Human Services will launch a campaign to encourage Americans to wear these devices. Wearables can track your heart rate, menstrual cycle, fitness regimen, blood sugar levels, sleep patterns, location and more. They're a great way to understand your health (for example, the Oura Ring lets you know when it thinks you're getting sick) and to stick to a workout regimen (the Apple Watch is both loved and hated for its 'close your rings' reminders). While they can be helpful for the average person, these devices store lots and lots of our data — is it safe for all of this information to be out there? And what happens if this data ends up in the wrong hands — including the government's? Experts weigh in. First, know that no one has said the government will actually collect this health data. Related: It Turns Out That Most People Wipe Their Butts Completely Wrong, But This Doctor Is Here To Teach Us The Right Way There is a major difference between the government having access to health data and the government simply encouraging folks to use wearables for their own health tracking, said Alex Hamerstone, the advisory solutions director for TrustedSec, an ethical hacking company. 'Those are obviously two very different questions, and there's no indication at this point that they're looking to have the government have access to that data,' he noted. The government does, though, already have access to lots of health data. 'If you look at the percent of people who receive health care through Medicare and Medicaid and state programs, and so on and so forth, they already have a lot of very detailed information,' Hamerstone noted. 'I know there are guardrails around it and things like that, but not to get into any kind of political thing, but a lot of those guardrails seem to be falling down,' he noted. You should also understand that no matter who is privy to it, health data is very valuable. You've probably heard the phrase 'data is the new currency,' meaning your personal data has inherent value to companies. It's how they sell you ads and understand your needs. But 'health data is just kind of a different category of data,' said Hamerstone. Having your credit card hacked is temporarily annoying, but you're not liable, and typically, after some phone calls and logistics, your life will go back to normal. 'But if someone gets access to your private health care data, that's much different. It's a different kind of data,' Hamerstone said. 'So, somebody knowing how many steps you take is one thing, but if you start to get into things like glucose levels or very detailed medical information, those things could start to affect other parts of your life,' he added. This could impact insurance rates and insurance options, Hamerstone said. Some experts are worried about the government's ability to protect health data because of past breaches. Related: Older Women Are Revealing Their Biggest "Life Regrets," And Every Young Person Needs To Hear This Kevin Johnson, the CEO of Secure Ideas, a security testing and consulting company, has concerns about the government's ability to protect any data that is gathered through the use of wearables. For instance, in 2018, there was a major security breach involving the Strava fitness app and the U.S. government in which soldiers' locations at military bases were shared via Strava. 'So, the idea that the government is saying we're going to encourage ... wearing of these when the government had a significant security problem due to this, that's one of the concerns that I just don't understand how we forgot that happened,' said Johnson. Overall, Johnson said, there are 'significant security issues with wearable devices.' 'My company and other companies have tested these devices. We've found vulnerabilities. We have found ways that the wearable technology gives an attacker access to your data because of security lapses in the hardware and software. We've seen multiple cases where attackers are able to gain access to things that are unrelated to the health care data because of security problems,' Johnson said. There have also been privacy violations when data brokers get access to this data, whether they gain access illegitimately or legitimately, Johnson said. (And the companies collecting the data from wearables do often sell your data to data brokers, Johnson noted.) You may not care if someone has your heart rate data from your smartwatch, but it's so much more than 'just' that. 'There are always security concerns when it comes to connected technology,' said Dave Chronister, the CEO of Parameter Security. And your wearable device is most likely connected to your smartphone — meaning it has access to lots of your personal data, according to Johnson. 'No device or platform is completely secure,' Chronister noted. 'Attackers often target the backend systems, such as cloud servers, via compromised employee credentials or software vulnerabilities.' 'Devices that rely on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi can also be exploited, and if the device supports messaging or sync features, phishing or spoofing attacks are possible,' noted Chronister. These devices can also get stolen or lost, which also puts your data at risk, Chronister added. Johnson said he's often heard people say things like, 'Oh, it's just my heart rate data, that's not a big deal,' but it's actually so much more than that. 'The issue is, we're not just talking about heartbeat. We're not just talking about your sleep schedule. We're talking about your location. We're talking about most of these apps tie into your contacts so that you can invite friends,' said Johnson. More, it also may include your reproductive health data, glucose levels or heart irregularities, Chronister said. 'These can paint a sensitive, personal portrait of someone's health and behavior,' Chronister added. Health data from wearables isn't protected like your medical records. 'It's important to understand that data from wearables is not protected under HIPAA like your medical records are,' said Chronister. HIPAA protects patient health records from things like doctor's appointments. 'Instead, it is governed by the company's terms of service ... which often include loopholes that allow for data sharing or sale, especially in the event of a merger or acquisition,' Chronister explained. This is true even if the company says they'll never sell your data. 'That promise can be overridden by fine print or future policy changes,' he added. 'Consumers should be aware that once their data is out there, they may lose control over how it is used,' Chronister said. What can you do to protect your security if you use wearables? 'Almost all of these types of devices have some level of privacy controls in them that you're able to select what data you give,' said Johnson. If you decide to get a wearable, make sure you check your privacy settings and adjust them accordingly, he noted. 'And this is very important — regularly go in and validate that the privacy settings are still set the way you want them to be,' Johnson added. This is really the most you can do to protect your data, and it certainly won't totally protect you from data breaches or data brokers. 'Unfortunately, individual users have very limited control. You are largely at the mercy of the device manufacturer and app provider,' Chronister noted. While you can follow privacy precautions, such as by 'turning off unnecessary Bluetooth connections, using strong account passwords, and checking app permissions ... those measures only go so far,' Chronister said. 'The real issue is how companies store, share and protect your data behind the scenes,' Chronister noted. Chronister stressed that 'it's critical to understand the long-term implications of voluntarily handing over personal health data to private companies. This information can be sold to marketers, shared with third parties, or exposed in a breach.' He voiced specific concern about how this data can be combined via different apps and companies over time to build 'incredibly detailed personal health profiles.' So while it may not be a big deal if one company has your sleep data and another has your activity levels, these companies can be acquired, or data can be combined to create a fuller picture of your private health information. 'And AI is really a wild card. Going forward, it will increasingly be able to draw conclusions and make predictions about your current and future health. This raises serious questions about how such insights could affect things like insurance eligibility, premium rates, or even creditworthiness,' Chronister said. When it comes to health data (and data of any sort), 'the risks are inherent even with the government not involved,' Hamerstone said. Once that data exists, it's at risk of being lost or stolen by bad actors, he added. Keep that in mind before you start using wearable health technology, and if you're already a user, it's important to be aware of the risks so you can make informed decisions and do what you can to protect your article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in Goodful: This Woman Is Going Viral For Begging Women Not To Get Married Right Now, And Personally, I Couldn't Agree More Also in Goodful: People Are Sharing Their Biggest "How Doesn't Everyone Know This?" Facts, And I'm Honestly Embarrassed I Never Realized Some Of These Also in Goodful: "I Can't Wait For This To Go Out Of Style": People Are Sharing Popular Modern Trends That Are Actually Pretty Toxic
Buzz Feed
20 hours ago
- Health
- Buzz Feed
RFK Jr.'s Health Tracker Plan Raises Security Alarms
If you don't yet wear a smartwatch or smart ring to monitor your health and fitness, you may soon be encouraged to do so by some of the highest-ranking members of the government. During a House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he'd like all Americans to use wearable health products, such as Fitbits, Apple Watches, Oura Rings, WHOOP and glucose monitors, to 'control' their health and 'take responsibility' for it. According to Poltico, Kennedy said people can use wearables to track 'what food is doing to their glucose levels, their heart rates and a number of other metrics as they eat it, and they can begin to make good judgments about their diet, about their physical activity, about the way that they live their lives.' While this remains just a suggestion and not a mandate, it's been announced that the Department of Health and Human Services will launch a campaign to encourage Americans to wear these devices. Wearables can track your heart rate, menstrual cycle, fitness regimen, blood sugar levels, sleep patterns, location and more. They're a great way to understand your health (for example, the Oura Ring lets you know when it thinks you're getting sick) and to stick to a workout regimen (the Apple Watch is both loved and hated for its 'close your rings' reminders). While they can be helpful for the average person, these devices store lots and lots of our data — is it safe for all of this information to be out there? And what happens if this data ends up in the wrong hands — including the government's? Experts weigh in. There is a major difference between the government having access to health data and the government simply encouraging folks to use wearables for their own health tracking, said Alex Hamerstone, the advisory solutions director for TrustedSec, an ethical hacking company. 'Those are obviously two very different questions, and there's no indication at this point that they're looking to have the government have access to that data,' he noted. The government does, though, already have access to lots of health data. 'If you look at the percent of people who receive health care through Medicare and Medicaid and state programs, and so on and so forth, they already have a lot of very detailed information,' Hamerstone noted. 'I know there are guardrails around it and things like that, but not to get into any kind of political thing, but a lot of those guardrails seem to be falling down,' he noted. You should also understand that no matter who is privy to it, health data is very valuable. You've probably heard the phrase 'data is the new currency,' meaning your personal data has inherent value to companies. It's how they sell you ads and understand your needs. But 'health data is just kind of a different category of data,' said Hamerstone. Having your credit card hacked is temporarily annoying, but you're not liable, and typically, after some phone calls and logistics, your life will go back to normal. 'But if someone gets access to your private health care data, that's much different. It's a different kind of data,' Hamerstone said. 'So, somebody knowing how many steps you take is one thing, but if you start to get into things like glucose levels or very detailed medical information, those things could start to affect other parts of your life,' he added. This could impact insurance rates and insurance options, Hamerstone said. Kevin Johnson, the CEO of Secure Ideas, a security testing and consulting company, has concerns about the government's ability to protect any data that is gathered through the use of wearables. For instance, in 2018, there was a major security breach involving the Strava fitness app and the U.S. government in which soldiers' locations at military bases were shared via Strava. 'So, the idea that the government is saying we're going to encourage ... wearing of these when the government had a significant security problem due to this, that's one of the concerns that I just don't understand how we forgot that happened,' said Johnson. Overall, Johnson said, there are 'significant security issues with wearable devices.' 'My company and other companies have tested these devices. We've found vulnerabilities. We have found ways that the wearable technology gives an attacker access to your data because of security lapses in the hardware and software. We've seen multiple cases where attackers are able to gain access to things that are unrelated to the health care data because of security problems,' Johnson said. There have also been privacy violations when data brokers get access to this data, whether they gain access illegitimately or legitimately, Johnson said. (And the companies collecting the data from wearables do often sell your data to data brokers, Johnson noted.) You may not care if someone has your heart rate data from your smartwatch, but it's so much more than 'just' that. 'There are always security concerns when it comes to connected technology,' said Dave Chronister, the CEO of Parameter Security. And your wearable device is most likely connected to your smartphone — meaning it has access to lots of your personal data, according to Johnson. 'No device or platform is completely secure,' Chronister noted. 'Attackers often target the backend systems, such as cloud servers, via compromised employee credentials or software vulnerabilities.' 'Devices that rely on Bluetooth or Wi-Fi can also be exploited, and if the device supports messaging or sync features, phishing or spoofing attacks are possible,' noted Chronister. These devices can also get stolen or lost, which also puts your data at risk, Chronister added. Johnson said he's often heard people say things like, 'Oh, it's just my heart rate data, that's not a big deal,' but it's actually so much more than that. 'The issue is, we're not just talking about heartbeat. We're not just talking about your sleep schedule. We're talking about your location. We're talking about most of these apps tie into your contacts so that you can invite friends,' said Johnson. More, it also may include your reproductive health data, glucose levels or heart irregularities, Chronister said. 'These can paint a sensitive, personal portrait of someone's health and behavior,' Chronister added. 'It's important to understand that data from wearables is not protected under HIPAA like your medical records are,' said Chronister. HIPAA protects patient health records from things like doctor's appointments. 'Instead, it is governed by the company's terms of service ... which often include loopholes that allow for data sharing or sale, especially in the event of a merger or acquisition,' Chronister explained. This is true even if the company says they'll never sell your data. 'That promise can be overridden by fine print or future policy changes,' he added. 'Consumers should be aware that once their data is out there, they may lose control over how it is used,' Chronister said. What can you do to protect your security if you use wearables? 'Almost all of these types of devices have some level of privacy controls in them that you're able to select what data you give,' said Johnson. If you decide to get a wearable, make sure you check your privacy settings and adjust them accordingly, he noted. 'And this is very important — regularly go in and validate that the privacy settings are still set the way you want them to be,' Johnson added. This is really the most you can do to protect your data, and it certainly won't totally protect you from data breaches or data brokers. 'Unfortunately, individual users have very limited control. You are largely at the mercy of the device manufacturer and app provider,' Chronister noted. While you can follow privacy precautions, such as by 'turning off unnecessary Bluetooth connections, using strong account passwords, and checking app permissions ... those measures only go so far,' Chronister said. 'The real issue is how companies store, share and protect your data behind the scenes,' Chronister noted. Chronister stressed that 'it's critical to understand the long-term implications of voluntarily handing over personal health data to private companies. This information can be sold to marketers, shared with third parties, or exposed in a breach.' He voiced specific concern about how this data can be combined via different apps and companies over time to build 'incredibly detailed personal health profiles.' So while it may not be a big deal if one company has your sleep data and another has your activity levels, these companies can be acquired, or data can be combined to create a fuller picture of your private health information. 'And AI is really a wild card. Going forward, it will increasingly be able to draw conclusions and make predictions about your current and future health. This raises serious questions about how such insights could affect things like insurance eligibility, premium rates, or even creditworthiness,' Chronister said. When it comes to health data (and data of any sort), 'the risks are inherent even with the government not involved,' Hamerstone said. Once that data exists, it's at risk of being lost or stolen by bad actors, he added. Keep that in mind before you start using wearable health technology, and if you're already a user, it's important to be aware of the risks so you can make informed decisions and do what you can to protect your privacy. HuffPost.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Brittany Mahomes called out over fake friendship with Taylor Swift and shocking Patrick Mahomes drama
Brittany Mahomes, wife of Patrick Mahomes, navigates fame and controversy (Getty Images) Brittany Mahomes may be known as Patrick Mahomes' high-profile wife, but she's built a presence—and controversy—of her own. From Instagram buzz to alleged feuds and political tension, Brittany has faced a relentless cycle of rumors that continue to put her under the microscope. Social media spotlight turns into scrutiny Brittany Mahomes, a former soccer player and now a fitness entrepreneur, commands over 2 million followers online. With a net worth reportedly around $15 million, she's transformed her visibility into a powerful brand. But with fame has come a wave of public speculation about her appearance. After fans accused her of undergoing plastic surgery, Brittany addressed the gossip head-on. 'Filler in my lips,' she admitted during a 2023 Q&A on Instagram. As for breast augmentation, she joked under a bikini photo, 'Haters will say they are fake, but breastfeeding moms will understand.' Her bold honesty has earned her both admiration and criticism. Marital rumors and viral TikTok moments Despite her picture-perfect image with Patrick Mahomes, whispers of tension have emerged. A viral clip from a Texas Tech basketball game in June 2025 showed Brittany mocking Patrick's 'resting b***h face' comment. It echoed a similar moment from 2022, leading some fans to speculate that not all is well in the Mahomes household. In an April 2023 Q&A, Brittany revealed she doesn't take flirtations toward Patrick lightly. 'It's actually really sad how disrespectful some women are,' she said, acknowledging the emotional toll of life in the public eye. Politics, PR optics, and the rumored Taylor Swift tension One of the most talked-about topics remains her rumored friction with Taylor Swift, reportedly stemming from political differences. Brittany's support for Donald Trump—highlighted in a September 2024 Truth Social post—seemingly clashed with Swift's endorsement of Kamala Harris. At Super Bowl LIX, they notably didn't sit together, with one Daily Mail source citing 'PR reasons' due to Trump's presence. Though neither party has publicly addressed a falling out, the once-hyped idea of a Brittany-Taylor BFF dynamic now feels far-fetched. Amid divorce rumors, family tension with Jackson Mahomes, and endless online speculation, Brittany continues to push forward with grit. As she once said on the WHOOP podcast, Patrick told her, 'Stop caring about what people think, especially the people that don't even know you.' Also Read: Chiefs' Trey Smith exposes Travis Kelce's behaviour, calls him crazy and psycho Whether she's clapping back at rumors or balancing motherhood and business, Brittany Mahomes is clearly unbothered by the chaos—and she's not slowing down. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Politico
2 days ago
- Health
- Politico
Dems: Medicaid cuts complicate health AI dreams
WASHINGTON WATCH House Republicans and Democrats clashed during a Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing Wednesday over how to fund and advance the use of digital health technologies. 'We live in a time where Americans have access to better technology and more health information than ever to truly be the 'CEO of their health,'' subcommittee Chair Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) said, noting that despite high spending on health care, Americans are getting sicker. Digital health tools and artificial intelligence are central to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s strategy to cure chronic disease and reduce costs. But Democrats warned that the GOP's proposed Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump's megabill could hamper the adoption of AI and other innovations in health care. 'I'm a bit in the twilight light zone. At the same time that we're here talking about this issue, my colleagues on the other side just passed a bill that would effectively take away health care for 16 million Americans,' said Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.). At the heart of the disagreement is cost. 'People cannot take advantage of technological advances in health care if they do not have health insurance coverage or face insurmountable financial barriers to health care services,' said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. For health systems, that means less revenue to invest in innovative technologies, especially ones with no or low reimbursement rates. A few ideas that were floated: — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should set reimbursement rates for some digital technologies and raise the rates for technology that's already reimbursed. — Congress should expand tax-advantaged health savings accounts so Americans can use them to buy health and fitness wearables like WHOOP bands and Oura Rings. — Lawmakers should consider the impact Medicaid cuts would have on doctors' ability to implement AI. What's next: Republicans have waffled on whether to include an expansion of health savings accounts in the 'Big Beautiful Bill' because they'll add to the budget. But Senate Republicans are feeling pressure from their House counterparts to keep them in. WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. Life science company Verily is re-upping its work on the research platform that powers All of Us, a NIH-funded, big data project that seeks to understand risk factors for disease, better treatments, and how technology can help make people healthier. The contract with Vanderbilt University Medical Center, one of the NIH's key partners on the program, is for the next five years. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Danny Nguyen at dnguyen@ Carmen Paun at cpaun@ Ruth Reader at rreader@ or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@ Want to share a tip securely? Message us on Signal: Dannyn516.70, CarmenP.82, RuthReader.02 or ErinSchumaker.01. CONNECTING THE DOTS Federal agencies developed or used more than 2,000 artificial intelligence tools or programs in 2024, according to an analysis by POLITICO's Rosmery Izaguirre. Agencies reported that, in about 16 percent of use cases, their tools or programs posed safety concerns or had the potential to infringe on users' civil rights or rights to data or privacy. The Department of Health and Human Services reported the highest total number of AI use cases among its agencies, with four use cases presenting rights or safety concerns. The Justice Department reported the second-highest number of AI use cases, with 124 use cases presenting concerns, and the Department of Veterans Affairs reported the third-highest number of AI use cases with 145 use cases presenting concerns. The Trump administration is poised to expand AI use across federal agencies. In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order rescinding Biden-era legislation that promoted a more cautious approach to developing and testing use cases for AI. In an April memo, the Trump administration set its own disclosure requirements for agencies using AI, repealing the previous administration's conditions. Several rules were rescinded, including those related to rights and safety reporting, but the requirement for agencies to track and report their use of AI was maintained. What's next for HHS: AI is used widely across HHS, from analyzing big public health datasets and detecting health trends to more rote tasks like summarizing documents. But not all of the departments' AI efforts are rolling out smoothly. Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration deployed a general-use chatbot to shorten reviews throughout the agency. But two current and two former agency employees granted anonymity to discuss sensitive internal matters told POLITICO that the bot isn't capable of meaningfully reducing review time.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Snowflake Inc. (SNOW): A Bull Case Theory
We came across a bullish thesis on Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) on Sergey's Substack. In this article, we will summarize the bulls' thesis on SNOW. Snowflake Inc. (SNOW)'s share was trading at $209.12 as of 16th June. SNOW's forward P/E was 185.19 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. A software company's engineer staring at a computer monitor with intense concentration. Snowflake is rapidly evolving from a data warehouse into an AI-native data cloud platform, with significant momentum under CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy. In Q1 FY2026, Snowflake accelerated innovation with over 125 new product launches—a 100% YoY increase—including Cortex Analyst and Agent, which enable natural language queries and AI workflows. The company is also repositioning its Marketplace as a core distribution hub for AI-native apps, now supporting agentic workflows through Cortex Knowledge Extensions and seamless data ingestion via OpenFlow. While new listings slowed, this reflects a shift toward higher-quality offerings as Snowflake updates its revenue-sharing and governance models. Cortex now supports top-tier LLMs like Llama 4 and OpenAI on Azure, powering weekly usage by over 5,200 enterprises, including BlackRock and WHOOP. Gen2 compute and AISQL offer major performance and cost improvements, while Data Science Agent and Semantic Model sharing extend ML accessibility and consistency. Strategic acquisitions like Crunchy Data strengthen transactional and public sector capabilities, where Snowflake recently secured DoD-level authorization. Customer momentum remains strong: 419 net adds (+18% YoY), 26 new $ 1 M+ ARR clients, and two $ $100 M+ deals. Industry wins include AstraZeneca, Dentsu, Siemens, Samsung Ads, and Kraft Heinz. Retention remains best-in-class at 124%, with net new ARR up 4% YoY and RPO growing 34.3%. Despite lower FCF margins (17.6%) and high SBC (39% of revenue), Snowflake's ongoing shift to back-end weighted consumption and active buybacks reflects disciplined capital management. With high switching costs, a growing network effect (39% of usage now data sharing), and increasing AI adoption, Snowflake's long-term competitive moat appears to be deepening. Previously, we highlighted a bullish thesis on Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) from Compounding Your Wealth, which framed the company as an enterprise data leader accelerating growth through AI integration, margin expansion, and robust platform adoption across sectors like financial services and public institutions. Sergey's thesis builds on this foundation, emphasizing Snowflake's transformation into an AI-native data cloud platform under new CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy. It underscores how Snowflake's 125+ product launches, such as Cortex Agent, Gen2 compute, and OpenFlow, are redefining its value proposition and extending its reach into high-performance analytics and AI-native app distribution. Snowflake Inc. (SNOW) is not on our list of the 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 94 hedge fund portfolios held SNOW at the end of the first quarter which was 85 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the risk and potential of SNOW as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an extremely cheap AI stock that is also a major beneficiary of Trump tariffs and onshoring, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock.
