BetterHelp Has to Pay Out $7.8 Million After Privacy Violation Lawsuit

Those looking for an innovative way to take care of their mental health may have found themselves turning to BetterHelp. The company advertises itself as the a "convenient and affordable" therapy option, which allows customers to find licensed therapists online, bypassing insurance companies and the long wait times associated with traditional practices.

Not only that, but BetterHelp offers a more flexible therapy model, which allows folks to attend virtual sessions, connecting with their therapists whenever they need to. But some customers alleged that the company betrayed their trust, disclosing data that they'd assured patients they would keep confidential. That has left some wondering if BetterHelp is a bad company, or if they can still find the support they need in those virtual sessions. Keep reading to find out what people are saying.

The California company found itself in deep trouble when the U.S. Federal Trade Commission began looking into claims that BetterHelp had sold private customer data, which included some responses regarding patients' mental health, according to the Associated Press.

The data was shared with social media titans like Snapchat and Facebook, and these platforms in turn used that data for targeted advertising campaigns.

In 2023, BetterHelp settled the case, agreeing to shell out more than $7 million in payments to those who engaged in services with the company and some of its other platforms, which include Faithful Counseling, Price Counseling, and MyTherapist. These payments are being issued to those who had appointments between August 2017 and December 2020, and customers can expect to receive notice as to their eligibility beginning in August 2024.

Even with the massive payout BetterHelp will be forced to make as a result of the settlement, the company still denies any wrongdoing.

In addition to worries over privacy, some have questioned whether or not they're getting as high of a level of care by utilizing telehealth. Vox points out that some companies saw an influx of patients when they found out they could easily get prescriptions for medications through online psychiatry services, which may have allowed some folks access to drugs that they wouldn't have been able to get as easily before virtual psychiatry existed.

Additionally, with services being selected and carried out completely online, there is more room for error. The Wall Street Journal covered an incident in 2022 about an LGBTQ patient who had been kicked out of their home and sought help through BetterHelp. Only, instead of being matched with a therapist who specialized in LGBTQ+ issues, they were matched with someone who offered Christian counseling instead.

While the young man eventually found a better match, his story could've had a much more tragic ending, especially since his counselor told him, "either you sacrifice your family or you sacrifice being gay," during one of their sessions, per The Wall Street Journal.

Just like any other service, experiences with BetterHelp will vary. That being said, giving people around the world access to professional therapists that don't require you to jump through hoops with your insurance company and who allow you to plan your sessions around your schedule does have its benefits. Anytime it's easier for people to access the services they need, whether they be mental health or otherwise, you allow more people the opportunity to get better.

Whether it be those with mobility issues, folks who lack transportation, or busy people who don't know how else to fit therapy into their schedule unless they're able to do it on their own time and from the comfort of their own home, sometimes telehealth is the only way people can get the help they need.