I am really shocked and angry that HU decided to use our post codes to show how many miles we are from other users without first asking - surely there should have been an 'opt in' rather than an 'opt out' button!? There has been no problem with meeting and sharing where I live with fellow board users that I have struck up friendships with - we tend to do this by chatting and exchanging any personal info via the Private Message facility. And I am quite public about living in Cornwall - but that is for me to decide and if I want to share my location to any closer degree I do so via Private Messaging. I have developed friendships with a few people here via PM's , exchanged info and met up in 'real life'. Considering the uproar that the recent Health Care Data fiasco caused i am incredulous that they have done this and that patients are going along with it. You may be happy to trust your location to anyone using the site to this degree and that is fine - but still I feel it should have been an 'opt in'. I am so put off by what they have assumed on my behalf that I am now also opting out of the option to:
"share my anonymous health experiences with HealthUnlocked and its research partners (eg. academic institutions, healthcare commissioners and pharmaceutical companies)"
I know this is how they make their money from the site so that BLF and others get it for free, but I can't help but feel uneasy about a company that will use our data first and ask after.
Finally anyone wanting to meet up in real life is always welcome to contact me.