Facebook users could soon have access to online, disease-specific support communities or be able to use a Facebook-developed preventative care app to improve their health, according to a Reuters report.
The plans are still in development, though Facebook officials believe healthcare-related offerings could help increase user engagement with the social networking site, according to the report. A recent study suggests active social media users are more likely to go online for health information; providing health-related resources right on one of the most popular social networking sites could keep them from clicking elsewhere.
Privacy concerns could be an issue for any health-related services offered by Facebook. The company was widely criticized recently for allowing researchers to alter users' news feeds in an attempt to alter their moods. The recent negative press could lead Facebook to roll out any health offerings without fanfare or under a different name, reports Reuters. The article cites research suggesting this may be an effective tactic — according to a recent study, many Instagram users are unaware the photo-sharing site is owned by Facebook.
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