Senators Press Google on Terms of Coronavirus Testing Site
March 31 2020 - 2:43PM
Dow Jones News
By Rob Copeland
Five U.S. senators pressed for more information on Google's
coronavirus testing sites in California, particularly the search
giant's requirement that patients must create or use a Google
account to participate in the program.
The senators, all Democrats, said in a letter that they had
unanswered "concerns on privacy and cybersecurity vulnerabilities."
They asked that Google end the requirement that users have a Google
account, or any other email address, to access the site, as well as
attest that any information collected abides by the federal
healthcare privacy law known as HIPAA.
Google parent Alphabet Inc.'s closely-held Verily division is
running a handful of testing sites in Northern California in an
unusual private-public partnership touted by President Trump early
this month. A Verily website screens patients with certain symptoms
and directs them to drive-through testing locations. In the first
week, some 1,200 individuals were tested, the company says.
The letter was sent Tuesday by senators including Robert
Menendez (D., N.J.) and Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) to Verily CEO
Andrew Conrad.
Google spokespeople didn't respond to a request for comment
Tuesday. Verily earlier said any information collected would not be
used for advertising.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
March 31, 2020 14:28 ET (18:28 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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