Blue Shield of California shared private health data

Blue Shield of California disclosed that it shared the private health data of up to 4.7 million members with Google’s analytics and advertising platforms over a three-year period, from April 2021 to January 2024. This occurred due to a misconfiguration in Google Analytics, which allowed sensitive health information—such as insurance details, addresses, and search queries—to be shared with Google Ads. The data may have been used for targeted advertising. However, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and financial information were not exposed. Blue Shield ended its relationship with Google Analytics and Ads in January 2024 and has since taken steps to address the issue. The company is notifying affected members and advising them to monitor their accounts for suspicious activity.