Top tips to keep your wearables from leaking your health data
Top tips is a weekly column where we break down what's shaping the tech landscape and share practical ways you can stay informed and protected. This week, we’re looking at why safeguarding the health data collected by wearables is just as important as tracking your fitness goals.
Wearables don't just track steps and sleep, they collect some of the most intimate health information we have, including: heart rate, blood sugar, medication routines, stress levels, and sleep patterns. When this kind of data isn’t protected, the risks are real. Personal privacy can be lost, your identity can be stolen, and leaked health information combined with other personal details can lead to financial fraud.
Many devices send data over unsecured networks, store it without strong encryption, run on vulnerable software, and allow access without proper authentication. Information can leak through third-party apps, be traced back to a person even after anonymization, and in some cases, data isn't handled according to regulations like HIPAA or GDPR. Therefore, the health data sitting on your wrist can be exposed, misused, or profiled far more easily than most people think, which makes protecting it a personal responsibility, not just a technical one.
Share only what truly matters
Not every app or device deserves your health information. Companies and scammers treat health data like gold because it reveals habits, weaknesses, risks, and medical history; all things that can be used to target, manipulate, or profit from you. The safest approach is simple: Only give your health details to platforms you genuinely need and trust. Skip random apps, surveys, or trackers just because they “seem helpful.” If a service isn’t essential, don’t feed it your data.
Don’t approve permissions blindly
Many apps ask for access far beyond what they actually need—like location, contacts, or activity history, and all that extra data often ends up sold or shared. Before tapping Allow, check what the app wants and whether it makes sense. If the permission doesn’t relate to the purpose of the app, deny it or delete the app altogether. Keeping only the necessary access limits how much of your health information can be pulled, stored, or misused behind the scenes.
Keep your health data in secure places only
Storing medical records, prescriptions, or reports on unsecured phones, open cloud drives, or public networks makes you an easy target. Health records are worth huge amounts of money on the dark web, which is why cybercriminals go after weak storage first. Protect your information with strong passwords, biometric locks, encrypted storage, and secure networks. Avoid sending medical documents through public Wi-Fi or casual messaging apps. Keep digital copies in trusted, protected spaces.
Always confirm who’s asking for your information
Scammers often pose as clinics, insurance agents, wellness programs, or hospitals to trick people into revealing medical details. Once they have it, they can impersonate you, open accounts, or commit fraud. If someone asks for your health information, verify their identity through official contacts, not through unexpected calls, messages, or links. Share medical records only when you know who you’re dealing with, why they need it, and that you initiated the request.
Ask questions, set boundaries, and opt out
A lot of companies make money by tracking and analyzing behavior, including: heart rate, sleep, medication habits, fertility cycles, and more. Most users never challenge it, which makes data sharing easy and legal. It’s okay to demand clarity. Check the platform’s privacy settings, opt out of data sale or tracking if possible, and stop using services that won’t explain how your health data is handled. When you set boundaries, you take back control.
Keep it yours
Health data isn’t just a chart or a number; it’s a glimpse into who we are, what we’re dealing with, and what we’re trying to overcome. When that information slips into the wrong hands, it’s not just privacy that’s affected—it’s confidence, dignity, and the freedom to share our personal lives on our own terms. We may not control how every company treats data, but we can control what we share, who we trust, and the limits we set. That awareness alone can protect a part of us that’s deeply personal. Our health belongs to us and the information about it should stay that way.