The Evil Side of Sharing Personal Health Information Online

When joining a social network users are typically asked to register and supply their personal/private information. As part of the registration process, users must confirm that they have read the terms and conditions of site use, as well as the privacy policy for that particular social network. Do people actually read these documents, and do they really understand what they are consenting to? When it comes to sharing personal health conditions with others online, it is worth considering who will have access to this valuable, sensitive data and how it will be used in the future. This research aims to improve the form and accessibility of contractual information presented to users of Health Social Networks (HSNs), by looking at alternative ways to engage and communicate these details on registration. Taking a mixed methods approach, this research observes registration behaviours and questions users on their engagement with eConsent through HSNs. Our aim is to elucidate the challenges, risks and potential dangers associated with sharing personal health information (PHI) using HSNs. This research proposes a list of guidelines to better support user’s decision making needs when choosing to register and providing personal health information to HSNs.