Microsoft, Google, Facebook Back Apple in Blocked Phone Case

Re:Microsoft, Google, Facebook Back Apple in Blocked Phone Case by odbol_ on Thursday February 25, 2016 @10:18PM (#11179621)

I wonder if they could make a case that it violates the HIPAA, since your heartbeat/activity tracker info is on the device? Kind of a weak argument, but HIPAA is a pretty contentious subject.

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Re:Microsoft, Google, Facebook Back Apple in Blocked Phone Case by swyman on Friday February 26, 2016 @12:34AM (#11179958)

I might be wrong, but my understanding is that HIPAA privacy rules only apply to healthcare providers like hospitals and their employees.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Insurance_Portability_a...

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Re:Microsoft, Google, Facebook Back Apple in Blocked Phone Case by dmix on Friday February 26, 2016 @11:47AM (#11182360)

This is correct. We ran a website for diabetics where users volunteered health data and HIPAA didn't apply to us. If it coordinated data exchange with doctors directly then it would be different.

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Re:Microsoft, Google, Facebook Back Apple in Blocked Phone Case by cakeface on Monday February 29, 2016 @05:22PM (#11199144)

What about doctors using an iPhone to check a patient's files? Would apple have to make a secure HIPAA compliant version for hospital use? What about government use? I bet all those FBI agents are talking to each other with iphones...

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Re:Microsoft, Google, Facebook Back Apple in Blocked Phone Case by dragonwriter on Friday February 26, 2016 @05:03PM (#11184641)

> I wonder if they could make a case that it violates the HIPAA, since your heartbeat/activity tracker info is on the device?

HIPAA privacy protections only apply to data held by HIPAA "covered entities", which are mostly insurers, health care providers, and their business associates, and they restrict disclosures by those covered entities.

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