SEATTLE, Wash. — This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com.
A complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle may put Amazon on the ropes when it comes to personal health data privacy.
The Washington State Standard reports that court documents state Amazon’s advertising network may be gathering consumer data without consent and then using the information for targeted ads.
The suit claims the data, including biometric and location information, could be used to show that a person may have sought out health services or supplies—a more significant concern after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The law was intended to protect women traveling to the state for reproductive care if their home state has laws restricting such doctor visits.
Related MyNorthwest: Public health and political power: Democratic bill says ‘best science’ must be followed
Personal health data protections
The complaint states that Amazon may be breaking a groundbreaking state law passed in 2023. The law protects personal health data from being collected without users’ knowledge. The change was meant to cover data not protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
The law, called the My Health My Data Act, took effect last spring. It is one of the first of its kind in the U.S.
Cassaundra Maxwell from Lake Stevens is the lead plaintiff. She claims to have used the OfferUp marketplace and the Weather Channel app, unaware that Amazon was collecting her personal data. The legal action may turn into a class-action lawsuit for people across the U.S.
The lawsuit also alleges violations of the state’s Consumer Protection Act and several federal laws, including the Federal Wiretap Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Maxwell’s lawyers from Keller Rohrback in Seattle did not respond to requests for comment.
An Amazon spokesperson denied the allegations to The Standard. He said customer privacy is a top priority and that their agreements with publishers prohibit the sharing of consumer health data.