Facebook - Enforcement
Executive Summary
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission sued telehealth platform Hims & Hers for allegedly sharing users' sensitive health information with advertising companies including Meta and Snap, despite promising customers their data would remain private. The lawsuit, filed jointly with Los Angeles County and Utah, also accuses the company of deceptive billing practices, including charging users for prescriptions before consultations with healthcare providers. Hims & Hers, which offers treatments for condi...
What Happened
On July 29, 2026, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against telehealth platform Hims & Hers, jointly with Los Angeles County and Utah, alleging the company shared users' sensitive health information with advertising companies including Meta Platforms and Snap. The FTC also accused Hims & Hers of deceptive billing practices, such as charging users for prescriptions before they consulted with healthcare providers, and making subscription cancellations difficult. Hims & Hers, which provides telehealth services for conditions including erectile dysfunction, hair loss, mental health, and weight loss, denied the allegations and called the claims baseless.
Who Is Affected
Users of the Hims & Hers telehealth platform are affected, particularly those who shared sensitive health information while using services for erectile dysfunction, hair loss, mental health treatment, and weight loss medications. According to the FTC, most customers did not receive consultations with healthcare providers but were charged for prescriptions soon after completing intake forms. The alleged data sharing with Meta and Snap means users' private health details may have been used for advertising purposes without proper consent.
Why It Matters
This case highlights ongoing concerns about health data privacy in the telehealth industry, particularly regarding third-party data sharing with major advertising platforms. The lawsuit represents regulatory enforcement against a major telehealth provider at a time when these services are increasingly popular, especially for sensitive health conditions. The allegation that sensitive health information was shared with advertising companies despite privacy promises undermines user trust and demonstrates the risks of health platforms integrating with digital advertising ecosystems.
What You Should Do
If you are a Hims & Hers user, review your account activity and billing statements to check for charges made before provider consultations. Consider requesting information from Hims & Hers about what data was shared and with whom, and exercise your rights under applicable privacy laws to access or delete your personal information. If you use other telehealth platforms, carefully review their privacy policies to understand how your health data may be shared with third parties, and consider using privacy tools like ad blockers or limiting tracking permissions on social media platforms.
Summary generated from verified sources and reviewed before publication. How we summarize.
Sources
- Update: FTC Suing Hims & Hers for Allegedly Sharing User Data With Meta, Snap - finance.yahoo.com
- FTC sues Hims & Hers for allegedly sharing patients’ medical data with advertisers Meta and Snap
- FTC sues Hims & Hers for allegedly sharing patients' medical data with advertisers Meta and Snap - TechCrunch