The law and ethics of 'self-quantified' health information: an Australian perspective

Key Points This exploratory article examines the phenomenon of the 'Quantified Self'--until recently, a subculture of enthusiasts who aim to discover knowledge about themselves and their bodies through self-tracking, usually using wearable devices to do so--and its implications for laws concerned with regulating and protecting health information. Quantified Self techniques and the 'wearable devices' and software that facilitate them--in which large transnational technology corporations are now involved--often involve the gathering of what would be considered 'health information' according to legal definitions, yet may occur outside the provision of traditional health services (including 'e-health') and the regulatory frameworks that govern them. This article explores the legal and regulatory framework for self-quantified health information and wearable devices in Australia and determines the extent to which this framework addresses privacy and other concerns that these techniques engender, along with suggestions for reform.