Slashdot Mirror
Facebook Ready To Get Into Healthcare
New submitter Ted_Margaris_Chicago sends a report from Reuters indicating Facebook will be adding healthcare features to their social network.
The company is exploring creating online "support communities" that would connect Facebook users suffering from various ailments. A small team is also considering new "preventative care" applications that would help people improve their lifestyles. In recent months, the sources said, the social networking giant has been holding meetings with medical industry experts and entrepreneurs, and is setting up a research and development unit to test new health apps. Facebook is still in the idea-gathering stage, the people said.
The article notes two reasons in particular that spurred Facebook to this course of action. First, the day that Facebook let people share their organ donor status, the U.S. saw a 21-fold increase in people registering to be organ donors. Second, they noticed users with chronic conditions had a tendency to search Facebook for advice.
And everything you hold dear.
First, the day that Facebook let people share their organ donor status, the U.S. saw a 21-fold increase in people registering to be organ donors."
Now they only need a motorcycle.
" Second, they noticed users with chronic conditions had a tendency to search Facebook for advice. "
Must be "stultia gravis" cases
Because when you're looking for highly accurate, trustworthy information, you think of Facebook!
" saw a 21-fold increase in people registering to be organ donors. Second, they noticed users with chronic conditions had a tendency to search Facebook for advice. "
So they discovered that people use facebook. That doesn't make it a suitable medical advice hub or anything more than an ice bucket challenge portal.
the advice "never get medical or legal advice from the internets"?
...keep the comments section on Esquire's Politics Blog working, no way I trust them with anything regarding health and medicine.
I see even classic Slashdot is now pretty much unusable on dial up anymore.
Looking forward to Facebook posting videos of my colonoscopy!
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Realizing that when people are sick,they like to eat at McDonalds and that fast food potentially contributes to obesity McDonalds today announced their initiative to get into healthcare. Now, when placing an order, the crew will be trained to ask questions about the order takers health and healthier alternatives will be suggested instead. Customers who refuse to give over their health information as stored on their facebook account or ACA insurance card will not be served. McDonald's corporate CEO said "This is not unlike a bartender refusing to serve alcoholics. We see this as a good thing for us to give back to the community and help further civilization's goals and a healthier, happier people. Let's move it!"
"...they noticed users with chronic conditions had a tendency to search Facebook for advice."
Really?
The same social network that convinced iMorons to use the kitchen microwave to charge their shiny new iPhones?
Since they mentioned chronic conditions, I can only assume they were suffering from chronic stupidity and one hell of a rash of ignorance.
This should go over well. Have fun with HIPAA too.
... big pharma will love this. Facebook is getting to be like the goddam department of motor vehicles where you have to register all your stuff.
People need to realize Facebook is not the IRS. It's an ENTERTAINMENT site. Taking it seriously is a big mistake.
It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
As somebody with a chronic condition, I'm in a group or two on facebook about it. Its nice to get advice from real people who have dealt with things before. However, I find that 85% of people that are in the group usually post things akin to "I'm vomiting blood, have horrible pain and high fever, what should I do?" Erm... maybe go to the ER? While its not a bad thing to use to seek out some general advice (especially if you take anything you hear with a grain of salt), a lot of people use it as a substitute for real medical care or as a way to justify their fears of not going in to see a doctor, and that's terrifying.
Cue the facebook donorlist killer ;)
I can't possibly envision ever making Facebook privy to ANY health issues whatsoever. They would gladly shill that information out for profit - undoubtibly why they're doing it. With something such as health issues which are so confidential, making Facebook privy to any of this would be absolutely terrible.
fucked if I'm letting Facebook at it as well.
Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
The mental health section should just be a page that says "get off Facebook."
I can see it now hoards of people gathering around with straining ears to hear the call of the majestic space quack and his new dietary supplements.
Available now for 4 easy payments of $19.99.
"There are lies, there are damn lies, and there are statistics"
I find it so contradictory that the same mass of people that seek booths in order to hide who they vote for, are so willing to hand out information that's much more personal to a site like facebook.
Politics; n. : A religion whereby man is god.
I can see where this is going.. Account deactivated.
Facebook don't give a monkey's toss about anyone. They are not trying to engender valid discussions. They are going to monetise this. Full stop. For-profit companies do nothing -- nothing -- in the best interests of their users. This is about dissemination of data. Period. I trust no organisation for which the first charter is profit. Facebook has proven over and over again they are not to be trusted. They change their privacy settings on a whim, breaking existing settings, adding new ones that don't default to on. No, thank you.
Marketers hate me and my kind. I have no social profiles, no online presence at all. Google me and find nothing. I have cultivated this because I believe in due time there will be a fallout from the lack of privacy.
People laughed when I said the iWatch's biometric tracking would be a "requirement" to run the facebook iWatch app or a myriad of other apps. It is painful that this is a reasonably foreseeable direction for these companies.
From the social network that outlawed breastfeeding comes a new service for helping people track their health records. Christ what a load of bunk.
Remember kids, if you're not paying for the service, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT THAT IS BEING SOLD.
Does anyone here trust Facebook? Seriously.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
"Your medical history has been shared 153,473 times."
"Your cancer has 15,429 new messages."
who needs THAT crap?
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.”
Albert Einstein
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
It'd track the hours you spent sitting on your butt on FB, vs actually doing something which would be healthy ... And then... Wait for it... not report that to you, as those hours represent revenue $ from ads...