The news: Healthline Media settled with the California Attorney General’s office over allegations that Healthline.com failed to opt consumers out of having their personal information shared for targeted advertising. Our take: State health data privacy laws are new, meaning we will likely see increased scrutiny and more enforcement action against companies that previously went unchecked. Healthline and other health content companies must verify that their opt-out tools work as intended while being transparent with advertisers about the consumer data they can and cannot share with them.

The trend: Healthcare advertising motivates consumers to go online to do more research, or talk to a medical professional—but the majority of people have privacy concerns about personalized ads. Our take: Healthcare marketers are eager to use AI and targeting technology to make one-to-one connections with consumers. And it’s true that personalized ads can be more useful for people. However, marketers need to use transparent labeling, use conspicuous ad tags on social media, and preface targeted emails with explanations about why they’re being sent.

The news: A California court ruled Meta’s collection of menstrual health data violated state privacy laws, per TechCrunch. The takeaway: The Meta case puts tech companies that use health data for ad targeting and marketing on notice. Explicit consent and absolute transparency is not only legally critical around healthcare data, but also key to building trust with consumers.

From the rise of sophisticated AI-driven tools to new policies reshaping data privacy and competition, 2025 promises to be a year of relentless change. Companies that adapt will thrive, while others risk being left behind in a swiftly moving market.

The Epic, Particle Health saga unpacked: Particle’s recent filing of an antitrust lawsuit raises salient points on patient data privacy and anti-competitive behavior in healthcare.

The Adprime acquisition could tap new revenue with targeted and privacy-compliant ad solutions. We forecast healthcare and pharma digital ad spending will grow from $22 billion this year to $24.7 billion in 2026, as marketers follow consumers and physicians who are consuming more digital media.

Across generations, the majority of US adults are concerned about the privacy of their health data within smartphone apps, according to Morning Consult. While the percentage of those with concerns has declined for all except Gen Z since 2021, older adults are still more likely to have this worry.

Lay out plans to reduce the likelihood of another cybersecurity breach. This content is part of EMARKETER’s subscription Briefings, where we pair daily updates with data and analysis from forecasts and research reports. Our Briefings prepare you to start your day informed, to provide critical insights in an important meeting, and to understand the context of what’s happening in your industry.

Healthcare providers, payers increase IT investments: In light of the devastating fallout of the cyberattack on Change Healthcare, providers and payers alike are hedging against future cybersecurity threats.

The big takeaway: Decision makers in healthcare and pharma are exploring and testing AI for a variety of use cases, but the risk-averse nature of the industry—and heightened cybersecurity concerns—mean that solution implementation lags.

Amazon, One Medical, and BetterHelp targeted by the FTC: The federal agency issued a $7.8 million fine over use of patient health data. But it’s also looking for deceptive promises of privacy.

That means customers' genetic data is not subject to the same federal privacy protections as medical records held by healthcare providers or insurers. Some states now have consumer data privacy laws designed to address this gap, however.

Witty acknowledged during a Senate hearing after the attack that the company didn’t have basic cybersecurity protections in place. Yes, and: UnitedHealth also said yesterday it’s suspending its 2025 forecast due to increased medical costs as members get more care, particularly in the Medicare Advantage market.

Moderna uses ChatGPT Enterprise for custom and privacy-safe commercialization systems. Moderna has 750 general pretrained transformers (GPTs) across its company, which include R&D and clinical data uses as well as corporate branding.

However, widespread adoption hinges on addressing privacy concerns and social acceptance factors. Apple still plans to develop smart glasses eventually, but its current focus on the Vision Pro headset may give competitors a chance to gain ground. EssilorLuxottica, which makes Meta’s Ray-Ban line, is already expanding production capacity for smart glasses and looking for new brand partnerships.

All data collection and analysis procedures strictly adhered to privacy regulations and ethical standards, with personal information anonymized and findings aggregated to maintain confidentiality and integrity.

Patients will opt for medical devices and tests that can be used in the privacy and comfort of their own homes. In addition to being more convenient, 61% of consumers perceive home testing as less expensive, according to Tasso. Sources. Bessemer Venture Partners. KFF Health News. McKinsey & Company. National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. OnePoll. Tasso. Trilliant Health.