Google wins a case over alleged misuse of medical records
Google won a case instigated by 1.6 million individuals, who alleged the company’s misuse of medical records.
The Royal Free, part of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), transferred patient data in 2015 to Google’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) firm, DeepMind Technologies, for an app designed to analyze medical records and detect kidney injuries. In 2017, the British data protection watchdog claimed that Royal Free’s action misused patient data. As a result, Royal Free sued Google on behalf of 1.6 million people for alleged misuse of private information. The UK Court held that there was no misuse of personal data, and Judge Heather Williams stated that the claimant did not provide a realistic prospect of establishing “a reasonable expectation of privacy in respect of their relevant medical records.”