BetterHelp: Difference between revisions

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BetterHelp's '''Privacy Policy'''<ref>Privacy Policy. (2018). Archive.org. [https://www.betterhelp.com/privacy/#section16 "Privacy Policy - Section 11 - Are you using my data for advertising?"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230301163612/https://www.betterhelp.com/privacy/#section16 Archive])</ref> explicitly states that any private information shared with therapists will remain confidential. Specifically, it clarifies that such information will not be shared with third-party advertisers:<blockquote>To be clear, we don’t share any data or information you share with your therapist with any Third-Party advertisers. Even if you opt-in to targeting cookies and web beacons, we still don’t share information with Third-Party advertisers like member names, email addresses, phone numbers, clinician diagnosis, questionnaires answers, sessions data, journal entries, messages, worksheets, or any other type of private communication you have with your therapist on the Platform.</blockquote>On 02 March 2023, the [[FTC|Federal Trade Commission (FTC)]] raised a complaint<ref>BetterHelp, Inc., In the Matter of. (2023, March 2). Federal Trade Commission. [https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2023169-betterhelp-inc-matter "BetterHelp, Inc., In the Matter of"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251216093722/https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2023169-betterhelp-inc-matter Archive])</ref> against BetterHelp. BetterHelp gave third parties (including Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Criteo) consumer information for the purpose of serving targeted ads "bringing in tens of thousands of new paying users, and millions of dollars in revenue, as a result."<ref name=":0">Khan, L., Slaughter, R., & Bedoya, A. (n.d.). [https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpcomplaintfinal.pdf "BetterHelp: Final Complaint - 2023169"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251023164318/https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpcomplaintfinal.pdf Archive])</ref> Third parties also used the data for personal research and development.<ref name=":0" />

Four months later, on 14 July 2023, the FTC ordered BetterHelp to pay $7.8 million in the form of partial refunds to its' customers between 01 August 2017 and 31 December 2020.<ref>Khan, L., Slaughter, R., & Bedoya, A. (n.d.). from [https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf "BetterHelp: Final Decision and Order - 2023169"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251228052247/https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf Archive])</ref> Emails started being sent out to around 800,000 eligible customers on 06 May 2024.<ref>(2024, May 6). Federal Trade Commission. ftc.gov. . [https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc "BetterHelp Customers Will Begin Receiving Notices About Refunds Related to a 2023 Privacy Settlement with FTC"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc Archive])</ref>

Four months later, on 14 July 2023, the FTC ordered BetterHelp to pay $7.8 million in the form of partial refunds to its' customers between 01 August 2017 and 31 December 2020.<ref>Khan, L., Slaughter, R., & Bedoya, A. (n.d.). from [https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf "BetterHelp: Final Decision and Order - 2023169"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251228052247/https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf Archive])</ref> Emails started being sent out to around 800,000 eligible customers on 06 May 2024.<ref>(2024, May 6). Federal Trade Commission. ftc.gov. . [https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc "BetterHelp Customers Will Begin Receiving Notices About Refunds Related to a 2023 Privacy Settlement with FTC"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc Archive]) ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260113123846/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc Archived])</ref>

===Unethical pay structure===

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70% of respondents in a survey had a negative experience with BetterHelp<ref>Pintwala, R. (2024, September 20). Firstsession.com; First Session. [https://www.firstsession.com/resources/betterhelp-reviews-survey-results "Why BetterHelp is a Risk to Our Collective Mental Health."] Retrieved Dec 19 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251015082206/https://www.firstsession.com/resources/betterhelp-reviews-survey-results Archive])</ref><ref>Bartov, S. L. (2022, November 28). Newsweek. [https://www.newsweek.com/betterhelp-patients-tell-sketchy-therapists-1762849 "BetterHelp patients furious at “sketchy” therapists."] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260118210056/https://www.newsweek.com/betterhelp-patients-tell-sketchy-therapists-1762849 Archive])</ref>

In the UK, therapists don't need accreditation to practice unlike in the U.S., nevertheless there are bodies which accredit therapists, BetterHelp therapists may not be accredited in UK.<ref>Johnston, I. (2023, April 9). [https://www.ft.com/content/b49d875d-76f8-4451-8ca2-1ad2fba0ebb5 "Therapists sound alarm on BetterHelp’s rapid UK expansion. Financial Times."] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025</ref>

In the UK, therapists don't need accreditation to practice unlike in the U.S., nevertheless there are bodies which accredit therapists, BetterHelp therapists may not be accredited in UK.<ref>Johnston, I. (2023, April 9). [https://www.ft.com/content/b49d875d-76f8-4451-8ca2-1ad2fba0ebb5 "Therapists sound alarm on BetterHelp’s rapid UK expansion. Financial Times."] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260216010355/https://www.ft.com/content/b49d875d-76f8-4451-8ca2-1ad2fba0ebb5 Archived])</ref>

==References==

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 BetterHelp's '''Privacy Policy'''<ref>Privacy Policy. (2018). Archive.org. [https://www.betterhelp.com/privacy/#section16 "Privacy Policy - Section 11 - Are you using my data for advertising?"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230301163612/https://www.betterhelp.com/privacy/#section16 Archive])</ref> explicitly states that any private information shared with therapists will remain confidential. Specifically, it clarifies that such information will not be shared with third-party advertisers:<blockquote>To be clear, we don’t share any data or information you share with your therapist with any Third-Party advertisers. Even if you opt-in to targeting cookies and web beacons, we still don’t share information with Third-Party advertisers like member names, email addresses, phone numbers, clinician diagnosis, questionnaires answers, sessions data, journal entries, messages, worksheets, or any other type of private communication you have with your therapist on the Platform.</blockquote>On 02 March 2023, the [[FTC|Federal Trade Commission (FTC)]] raised a complaint<ref>BetterHelp, Inc., In the Matter of. (2023, March 2). Federal Trade Commission. [https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2023169-betterhelp-inc-matter "BetterHelp, Inc., In the Matter of"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251216093722/https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2023169-betterhelp-inc-matter Archive])</ref> against BetterHelp. BetterHelp gave third parties (including Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Criteo) consumer information for the purpose of serving targeted ads "bringing in tens of thousands of new paying users, and millions of dollars in revenue, as a result."<ref name=":0">Khan, L., Slaughter, R., & Bedoya, A. (n.d.). [https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpcomplaintfinal.pdf "BetterHelp: Final Complaint - 2023169"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251023164318/https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpcomplaintfinal.pdf Archive])</ref>  Third parties also used the data for personal research and development.<ref name=":0" />
-Four months later, on 14 July 2023, the FTC ordered BetterHelp to pay $7.8 million in the form of partial refunds to its' customers between 01 August 2017 and 31 December 2020.<ref>Khan, L., Slaughter, R., & Bedoya, A. (n.d.). from [https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf "BetterHelp: Final Decision and Order - 2023169"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251228052247/https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf Archive])</ref> Emails started being sent out to around 800,000 eligible customers on 06 May 2024.<ref>(2024, May 6). Federal Trade Commission. ftc.gov. . [https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc "BetterHelp Customers Will Begin Receiving Notices About Refunds Related to a 2023 Privacy Settlement with FTC"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc Archive])</ref>
+Four months later, on 14 July 2023, the FTC ordered BetterHelp to pay $7.8 million in the form of partial refunds to its' customers between 01 August 2017 and 31 December 2020.<ref>Khan, L., Slaughter, R., & Bedoya, A. (n.d.). from [https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf "BetterHelp: Final Decision and Order - 2023169"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251228052247/https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf Archive])</ref> Emails started being sent out to around 800,000 eligible customers on 06 May 2024.<ref>(2024, May 6). Federal Trade Commission. ftc.gov. . [https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc "BetterHelp Customers Will Begin Receiving Notices About Refunds Related to a 2023 Privacy Settlement with FTC"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc Archive]) ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260113123846/https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc Archived])</ref>
 ===Unethical pay structure===
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 % of respondents in a survey had a negative experience with BetterHelp<ref>Pintwala, R. (2024, September 20). Firstsession.com; First Session. [https://www.firstsession.com/resources/betterhelp-reviews-survey-results "Why BetterHelp is a Risk to Our Collective Mental Health."] Retrieved Dec 19 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251015082206/https://www.firstsession.com/resources/betterhelp-reviews-survey-results Archive])</ref><ref>Bartov, S. L. (2022, November 28). Newsweek. [https://www.newsweek.com/betterhelp-patients-tell-sketchy-therapists-1762849 "BetterHelp patients furious at “sketchy” therapists."] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260118210056/https://www.newsweek.com/betterhelp-patients-tell-sketchy-therapists-1762849 Archive])</ref>
-In the UK, therapists don't need accreditation to practice unlike in the U.S., nevertheless there are bodies which accredit therapists, BetterHelp therapists may not be accredited in UK.<ref>Johnston, I. (2023, April 9). [https://www.ft.com/content/b49d875d-76f8-4451-8ca2-1ad2fba0ebb5 "Therapists sound alarm on BetterHelp’s rapid UK expansion. Financial Times."] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025</ref>
+In the UK, therapists don't need accreditation to practice unlike in the U.S., nevertheless there are bodies which accredit therapists, BetterHelp therapists may not be accredited in UK.<ref>Johnston, I. (2023, April 9). [https://www.ft.com/content/b49d875d-76f8-4451-8ca2-1ad2fba0ebb5 "Therapists sound alarm on BetterHelp’s rapid UK expansion. Financial Times."] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025 ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260216010355/https://www.ft.com/content/b49d875d-76f8-4451-8ca2-1ad2fba0ebb5 Archived])</ref>
 ==References==