Apple Begins To Research Whether iPhones Can Detect Mental Health Issues
Apple Begins To Research Whether iPhones Can Detect Mental Health Issues
BY TYLER DURDEN TUESDAY, SEP 21, 2021 - 10:25 PM
Despite its marketing promise of privacy, Apple has become more
creepy over the decade in the amount of data it collects from users. Some of
that data includes location information, usage time, health data, and
transaction data, among others. The company uses the data for targeted
advertising.
According to a WSJ, it
wants to repurpose the data and determine if users are depressed,
anxious, or experiencing a cognitive decline.
Citing internal Apple documents and people familiar with the
matter, WSJ said Apple is working with scientists to collect users' health data
that can easily be extracted from iPhone and other Apple devices that
could one day warn if users are at risk of mental
health problems.
The research is part of a new study with
Apple and Biogen and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA),
announced earlier this year. Apple's research with Biogen
concentrates on cognitive deterioration while UCLA examines users for signs of
stress, anxiety, and depression.
UCLA researchers use an iPhone's camera, microphone, keyboard,
and Apple Watch to collect data on users. Citing documents and their sources,
the researchers monitor heart and breathing rates, sleep patterns, how fast
someone walks, and how users speak. They also measure the speed and frequency
of typos.
During the study, users will fill out surveys about their
current mental state, and researchers will measure stress hormones.
As for the Biogen and Apple study that will track the cognitive
function of users, the study will include 20,000 people and last two years. The
first of the research trials began Monday.
While Apple's intentions appear to be good and could help a lot
of people who don't realize they're depressed or experiencing neurological
decline, there's always the risk that a "Minority Report" like
detection system could be created that could alert authorities about unstable
people and their risk of committing a crime.
Red flags
are being raised as the company's commitment to privacy has vanished as it
plans to work with the government to scan
iPhones for child pornography.
Besides privacy issues, there's other research that
suggests smartphone use coincides with increase mental health issues. It
seems like researchers may have to rethink their trials for accurate
results.
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