Google is under scrutiny after internal documents revealed that the company has asked its UB-based employees to opt into a third-party AI healthcare tool — Nayya. As reported by Business Insider, in an internal memo Google has asked the employees to opt for Nayya if they want to receive health benefits via its parent company, Alphabet during the upcoming enrolment period. The report highlights that the memo has sparked an internal dissent and the employees are now questioning the ethics and transparency of the move.
Nayya’s platform uses artificial intelligence in oder to offer personalised benefits recommendations based on employee health and lifestyle data. As per the internal guidelines, the staff who decline to opt for the third party AI tool will not be eligible for any health coverage. The tool is also being described as providing ‘core health plan operating services’ making data sharing mandatory under Alphabet’s benefits framework. “To opt out of health supplier data sharing going forward, unenroll from the Alphabet-provided benefits,” reads an internal resource page.
Privacy concerns and employee pushback
As reported by Business Insider, the requirement has triggered a wave of concerns across Google’s internal forums. Employees are also posting messages on company’s Q&A website and Memegen board. The employees have called the policy ‘coercive and dark pattern’. “Consent for an optional feature like ‘benefits usage optimization’ is not meaningful if it’s coupled to a must-have feature like Google’s HEALTH PLANS,” one employee wrote.
Another employee asked, “Why are we providing our medical claims to a third-party AI tool without a way to opt out?”
Google responds, clarifies policy
After the backlash to the new health policy, Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini explained that Nayya only accesses ‘standard’ demographic data unless employees chose to share more. She further stressed on the fact that the tool is voluntary and is designed to help the employees navigate through the complex healthcare options.
“Our intent was not reflected in the language on our HR site,” Mencini told Business Insider. “We’ve clarified it to make clear that employees can choose to not share data, without any effect on their benefits enrollment.”
Nayya is also said that it complies with the HIPAA regulations and it also does not sell to disclose any personal identifiable information.
Nayya’s platform uses artificial intelligence in oder to offer personalised benefits recommendations based on employee health and lifestyle data. As per the internal guidelines, the staff who decline to opt for the third party AI tool will not be eligible for any health coverage. The tool is also being described as providing ‘core health plan operating services’ making data sharing mandatory under Alphabet’s benefits framework. “To opt out of health supplier data sharing going forward, unenroll from the Alphabet-provided benefits,” reads an internal resource page.
Privacy concerns and employee pushback
As reported by Business Insider, the requirement has triggered a wave of concerns across Google’s internal forums. Employees are also posting messages on company’s Q&A website and Memegen board. The employees have called the policy ‘coercive and dark pattern’. “Consent for an optional feature like ‘benefits usage optimization’ is not meaningful if it’s coupled to a must-have feature like Google’s HEALTH PLANS,” one employee wrote.
Another employee asked, “Why are we providing our medical claims to a third-party AI tool without a way to opt out?”
Google responds, clarifies policy
After the backlash to the new health policy, Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini explained that Nayya only accesses ‘standard’ demographic data unless employees chose to share more. She further stressed on the fact that the tool is voluntary and is designed to help the employees navigate through the complex healthcare options.
“Our intent was not reflected in the language on our HR site,” Mencini told Business Insider. “We’ve clarified it to make clear that employees can choose to not share data, without any effect on their benefits enrollment.”
Nayya is also said that it complies with the HIPAA regulations and it also does not sell to disclose any personal identifiable information.
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