BetterHelp: Difference between revisions
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==Consumer impact summary== | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
* (User privacy) On 2023/03/02, it was revealed that BetterHelp had shared data and private info on users with third parties in order to dish out targeted/personalized ads to said users, despite claiming that they don't share data with other companies/advertisers. | *(User privacy) On 2023/03/02, it was revealed that BetterHelp had shared data and private info on users with third parties in order to dish out targeted/personalized ads to said users, despite claiming that they don't share data with other companies/advertisers. | ||
* (Business model) BetterHelp prides themselves on their accessibility and scalability and operates using subscriptions in order to generate weekly revenue. | *(Business model) BetterHelp prides themselves on their accessibility and scalability and operates using subscriptions in order to generate weekly revenue. | ||
* (Market control) While users may pay around £40 - £70 a week, a counselor named Andrew Flynn, was being paid around £18 per session, meaning that he would have to work well over the 20 hour weekly limit to make a proper living. | *(Market control) While users may pay around £40 - £70 a week, a counselor named Andrew Flynn, was being paid around £18 per session, meaning that he would have to work well over the 20 hour weekly limit to make a proper living. | ||
==Incidents== | ==Incidents== | ||
===Private data sharing=== | ===Private data sharing=== | ||
BetterHelp's '''Privacy Policy'''<ref> | BetterHelp's '''Privacy Policy'''<ref>Privacy Policy. (2018). Archive.org. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230301163612/https://www.betterhelp.com/privacy/#section16 "Privacy Policy - Section 11 - Are you using my data for advertising?"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025</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 2023/03/02, the [[FTC|Federal Trade Commission (FTC)]] raised a complaint<ref>https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2023169-betterhelp-inc-matter</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">https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpcomplaintfinal.pdf</ref> Third parties also used the data for personal research and development.<ref name=":0" /> | On 2023/03/02, 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</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</ref> Third parties also used the data for personal research and development.<ref name=":0" /> | ||
Four months later, 2023/07/14, the FTC ordered BetterHelp to pay $7.8 million in the form of partial refunds to its' customers between 2017/08/01 and 2020/12/31.<ref>https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/2023169betterhelpfinalorder.pdf</ref> Emails started being sent out to around 800,000 eligible customers on 2024/05/06.<ref>https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/05/betterhelp-customers-will-begin-receiving-notices-about-refunds-related-2023-privacy-settlement-ftc</ref> | Four months later, 2023/07/14, the FTC ordered BetterHelp to pay $7.8 million in the form of partial refunds to its' customers between 2017/08/01 and 2020/12/31.<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</ref> Emails started being sent out to around 800,000 eligible customers on 2024/05/06.<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</ref> | ||
===Unethical pay structure=== | ===Unethical pay structure=== | ||
Andrew Flynn, a counsellor who joined BetterHelp in September 2022, stated that in the United Kingdom, a BetterHelp subscription costs between £40 and £70 per week, while he was paid approximately £18 per session.<ref>https://welldoing.org/article/overworked-and-underpaid-uk-therapists-respond-us-online-platform-betterhelp</ref> To achieve a reasonable annual salary, therapists would need to exceed the 20-hour weekly limit for therapy sessions recommended by the '''[[wikipedia:British_Association_for_Counselling_and_Psychotherapy|British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)]]'''. | Andrew Flynn, a counsellor who joined BetterHelp in September 2022, stated that in the United Kingdom, a BetterHelp subscription costs between £40 and £70 per week, while he was paid approximately £18 per session.<ref>(2023). welldoing.org. [https://welldoing.org/article/overworked-and-underpaid-uk-therapists-respond-us-online-platform-betterhelp "Overworked and Underpaid: UK Therapists Respond to US Online Platform BetterHelp"] Retrieved 19 Dec 2025</ref> To achieve a reasonable annual salary, therapists would need to exceed the 20-hour weekly limit for therapy sessions recommended by the '''[[wikipedia:British_Association_for_Counselling_and_Psychotherapy|British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)]]'''. | ||
70% of respondents in a survey had a negative experience with BetterHelp<ref>https://www.firstsession.com/resources/betterhelp-reviews-survey-results</ref><ref>https://www.newsweek.com/betterhelp-patients-tell-sketchy-therapists-1762849</ref> | 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</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."]</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>https://www.ft.com/content/b49d875d-76f8-4451-8ca2-1ad2fba0ebb5</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> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 20:50, 19 December 2025
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BetterHelp
| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Legal structure | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Psychotherapy |
| Official website | https://www.betterhelp.com/ |
BetterHelp is a mental health platform that provides direct online counseling and therapy services via web or phone text communication.
Consumer impact summary
- (User privacy) On 2023/03/02, it was revealed that BetterHelp had shared data and private info on users with third parties in order to dish out targeted/personalized ads to said users, despite claiming that they don't share data with other companies/advertisers.
- (Business model) BetterHelp prides themselves on their accessibility and scalability and operates using subscriptions in order to generate weekly revenue.
- (Market control) While users may pay around £40 - £70 a week, a counselor named Andrew Flynn, was being paid around £18 per session, meaning that he would have to work well over the 20 hour weekly limit to make a proper living.
Incidents
Private data sharing
BetterHelp's Privacy Policy[1] 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:
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.
On 2023/03/02, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) raised a complaint[2] 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."[3] Third parties also used the data for personal research and development.[3]
Four months later, 2023/07/14, the FTC ordered BetterHelp to pay $7.8 million in the form of partial refunds to its' customers between 2017/08/01 and 2020/12/31.[4] Emails started being sent out to around 800,000 eligible customers on 2024/05/06.[5]
Unethical pay structure
Andrew Flynn, a counsellor who joined BetterHelp in September 2022, stated that in the United Kingdom, a BetterHelp subscription costs between £40 and £70 per week, while he was paid approximately £18 per session.[6] To achieve a reasonable annual salary, therapists would need to exceed the 20-hour weekly limit for therapy sessions recommended by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
70% of respondents in a survey had a negative experience with BetterHelp[7][8]
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.[9]
References
- ↑ Privacy Policy. (2018). Archive.org. "Privacy Policy - Section 11 - Are you using my data for advertising?" Retrieved 19 Dec 2025
- ↑ BetterHelp, Inc., In the Matter of. (2023, March 2). Federal Trade Commission. "BetterHelp, Inc., In the Matter of" Retrieved 19 Dec 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Khan, L., Slaughter, R., & Bedoya, A. (n.d.). "BetterHelp: Final Complaint - 2023169" Retrieved 19 Dec 2025
- ↑ Khan, L., Slaughter, R., & Bedoya, A. (n.d.). from "BetterHelp: Final Decision and Order - 2023169" Retrieved 19 Dec 2025
- ↑ (2024, May 6). Federal Trade Commission. ftc.gov. . "BetterHelp Customers Will Begin Receiving Notices About Refunds Related to a 2023 Privacy Settlement with FTC" Retrieved 19 Dec 2025
- ↑ (2023). welldoing.org. "Overworked and Underpaid: UK Therapists Respond to US Online Platform BetterHelp" Retrieved 19 Dec 2025
- ↑ Pintwala, R. (2024, September 20). Firstsession.com; First Session. "Why BetterHelp is a Risk to Our Collective Mental Health." Retrieved Dec 19 2025
- ↑ Bartov, S. L. (2022, November 28). Newsweek. "BetterHelp patients furious at “sketchy” therapists."
- ↑ Johnston, I. (2023, April 9). "Therapists sound alarm on BetterHelp’s rapid UK expansion. Financial Times." Retrieved 19 Dec 2025