Weeks before Apple launches its new product, the company has updated its HealthKit privacy rules so developers who use the HealthKit platform may not sell personal data to advertisers, according to The Guardian.
Per Apple's new rules, developers building apps to be bundled into HealthKit may collect data, but cannot sell it to advertisers, data brokers or information resellers, according to the report.
The rule reads, "Your application must not access the HealthKit [application programming interface] unless it is primarily designed to provide health and/or fitness services, and this usage is clearly evident in your marketing text and user interface. You and your application may not use the HealthKit APIs, or any other information obtained through the HealthKit APIs, for any purpose other than providing health and/or fitness services in connection with your application," according to the report.
The rule does indicate that developers could share their data with third parties for medical research, but they must first acquire users' consent, according to the report.
More articles on HealthKit:
Mount Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Allscripts in talks to incorporate Apple's HealthKit
HealthKit to be able to incorporate spirometry data
Why Apple, Epic and IBM will take over healthcare