Google's Privacy Policies Leads to Canceled COVID-19 Testing in California

Dr. Jonathan Fuchs, who leads San Francisco County’s testing strategy at the California Department of Public Health, confirmed in a news article published on October 26, 2020, that the state's COVID-19 testing partnership with Verily in San Francisco and Alameda counties was “currently on hold.”

According to media reports, people signing up for a COVID-19 test through Verily had to do so online, using an existing or newly created Gmail account; the sign-ups were offered in English or Spanish and were asked to provide personal information, including their home address. Additionally, testing participants were asked about chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, or congestive heart failure.

In response to questions, Verily spokesperson Kathleen Parkes was reported to have said 'the program requires users to register with Gmail accounts because Google’s authentication procedures safeguard sensitive data.'