WASHINGTON — The government’s health insurance website is quietly passing along consumers’ personal data to outside websites, just as President Barack Obama is calling for stronger cybersecurity protections.
It works like this: When you apply for coverage on HealthCare.gov, dozens of data companies may be able to tell that you are on the site. Some can even glean details such as your age, income, ZIP code, whether you smoke or if you are pregnant.
HealthCare.gov contains embedded connections to multiple data firms that the administration says generate analysis to improve the consumer experience. Officials say outside firms are barred from using the data to further their own business interests.
Still, ever-evolving technology allows for individual Internet users to be tracked, building profiles coveted by advertisers.
Connections to third-party tech firms were documented by technology experts who analyzed HealthCare.gov, and were confirmed by The Associated Press. There is no evidence that personal information from HealthCare.gov has been misused, but the high number of outside connections is raising questions.