Matsui Calls on Google for Answers on FitBit Health Data

WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06), Vice-Chair of the Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee, sent a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai requesting information about Google's plans to protect sensitive health information of current and future FitBit customers. Congresswoman Matsui is also a member of the Energy and Commerce Health and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittees, which have dual jurisdiction of health and consumer products.

On November 1, Google announced a proposed $2 billion purchase of FitBit allowing the company to takeover a vast array of consumer health and wellness data.

Text of the letter is below:

November 14, 2019

Sundar Pichai
Chief Executive
Officer Google, LLC
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043

Dear Mr. Pichai,

I write today to inquire about Google's plans to protect the sensitive health information of current and future FitBit consumers.

On November 1, 2019, Google announced a deal to acquire FitBit, Inc. This deal raises important questions about Google's plans for collecting, securing, and distributing this extremely sensitive health data. FitBit currently has 28 million active users and this number will likely increase. These current and future FitBit consumers deserve clear assurances about how their data will be handled.

In announcing the transaction, James Park, co-founder and CEO of Fitbit said "[FitBit] never sells personal information, and Fitbit health and wellness data will not be used for Google ads." This is a crucial baseline guarantee and a step in the right direction. However, additional clarification is needed about Google's intentions regarding FitBit data.

Given the highly sensitive and personal nature of this consumer health data, I believe it is important that Google continue to honor the existing terms of FitBit's privacy policy or, if changes are made, consumers are given a plain language summary of the changes and provided with an option to remain under the existing privacy policy if they choose. Additionally, as existing FitBit consumer data is transferred to Google, it is imperative that increased security measures are deployed to protect any data in transit. And, while no FitBit data will be used for Google ads, I believe consumers deserve to know if there other Google services, including other healthcare initiatives at the company, may receive access to this consumer health data.

As Congress considers the implications of this transaction in the scope of a national discussion on privacy, I request that Google make its appropriate staff available to brief Members of Congress and their staff on these and other questions.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter, and I look forward to your responses to these questions.

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