In a terrifying future, Facebook could venture into healthcare

Facebook gets bashed about privacy concerns, its real name policy, and the proliferation of ads that litter the social network. It's easy to complain about who has access to your photos and status updates, but how would you feel about handing over your private health details to Zuckerberg's baby?

In a move that will strike fear into users of the social network, Facebook is apparently considering branching out into healthcare by providing what are being described as "support communities". The news comes from Reuters which quotes three sources who requested anonymity.

Turning healthcare into a product would be an interesting move for Facebook, and it's one that is likely to get a mixed reception. On one hand the idea of support communities in which sufferers are able to connect with others in a similar position seems like it could be extremely useful. But on the other, Facebook's checkered privacy history means that many people whom the services might be aimed at would think twice, nay thrice, before handing over even more personal information than they already have.

Would-be users of such a service may have fears calmed slightly by Facebook's very recent softening of its real names policy, but there is a big difference between Facebook-run support pages, and the user-run pages that currently exist. The anonymous source suggests that in addition to the support communities, Facebook is also interested in helping people to improve their lifestyle through "preventative care" applications. If this comes to fruition, the privacy and sharing features of such applications will be what makes or breaks the idea. When it comes to healthcare, privacy is of the utmost importance, and there would be obvious concerns about the influence advertisers could have, and the access they might be given to information.

One possible reason for Facebook's apparent sudden interest in healthcare is the surge in organ donation registrations that followed an initiative back in 2012. Facebook's "organ-donor status" program saw organ donor registration soar by 21 times the usual numbers. Facebook has refused to comment on its future plans, it is not clear whether future health services would be a feature of the Facebook website, or would appear under a completely different name -- much like Instagram. But the real clincher is likely to be the policy adopted with regard to anonymity. Just as the sources for the Reuters' story requested that their names be withheld, people looking for information and support with serious conditions are likely to want the assurance of being able to use a pseudonym to protect their identity.

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