The US Federal Trade Commission has cracked down on an app that falsely promised to diagnose STDs using AI . HeHealth is forced to shut down Calmara due to false claims and questionable practices.
Calmara App Shutdown
FTC Claims Against HeHealth
The United States Federal Trade Commission forced HeHealth to discontinue its Calmara app. The software promised to use artificial intelligence to detect sexually transmitted infections.
According to a July 11 FTC white paper, Calmara encouraged users to submit intimate photos for STD testing. The app guaranteed "accurate, science-based answers about your partner's sexual health." The Commission expressed concern about the reliability of the information HeHealth relied on in its statements.
Inaccurate research and data
During the investigation, it turned out that HeHealth funded the authors of the studies it referred to. The main study covered only four types of STDs instead of the stated ten. Moreover, the AI model was trained using images from users who had not undergone diagnostic tests to confirm the results.
Medical experts have expressed doubts about the reliability of the app's methods, given that most STDs are asymptomatic. Los Angeles Times journalists found that Calmara was unable to distinguish even inanimate objects and could not identify typical signs of STDs in images.
Implications for HeHealth
HeHealth has agreed to shut down both of its apps by July 15 and delete all customer personal information. The company also pledged to ask payment systems to destroy data about their users.
Despite the conclusion of the investigation, the FTC cautioned that further action may be possible if the public interest warrants it. The Commission highlighted the illegality of advertising health claims without reliable scientific evidence.
Glossary
- FTC (Federal Trade Commission) - US government agency charged with protecting the rights of consumers and monitoring compliance with antimonopoly legislation.
- HeHealth is the company behind the Calmara app, which promises to diagnose STDs using AI.
- Calmara is an app that claims to be able to detect STDs from photos.
- STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) are a group of infectious diseases transmitted primarily through sexual contact.
- Los Angeles Times is one of the largest and most influential newspapers in the United States, based in Los Angeles.
Links
- FTC Letter
- Calmara Press Release
- WHO information on STDs
- Los Angeles Times article about Calmara
- Source: TheVerge
Answers to questions
What happened to the Calmara app?
What problems have been identified with the Calmara application?
What measures have been taken regarding HeHealth?
Why did medical experts doubt the effectiveness of the application?
What position has the FTC taken on health claims in advertising?
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Discussion of the topic – Calmara Scandal: How an AI Dating App Got Banned by the FTC
The US Federal Trade Commission shut down an app called Calmara, which used AI to detect STDs but required users to take intimate photos.
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Mathilde
Wow! Application for checking STDs by photo? Sounds like something out of science fiction. But it seems that the reality was not so rosy. 🤔
Giovanni
Yes, Mathilde, technology does not stand still. But in this case, it seems that the creators of the application were too hasty with their statements. 94% accuracy sounds impressive, it's a pity that this turned out to be an exaggeration.
Isabella
Honestly, I'm shocked that people were even willing to send such personal photos to the app! 😳 Is trust in AI really that high?
Hans
Isabella, I agree, this is truly amazing. But apparently people want quick and convenient solutions, even in such delicate matters. It's good that the FTC intervened in time and stopped this dubious experiment.
Olaf
Nonsense! This is what this AI craze is leading to. Previously, people just went to the doctor, and everything was fine. Now give them applications that cannot even distinguish living from non-living. Marasmus!
Sophia
Olaf, I understand your dissatisfaction, but progress cannot be stopped. It is important that new technologies are developed in a controlled and ethical manner. In this case, the system worked - the unscrupulous company was stopped. 👍
Pierre
I'm surprised that the FTC took this matter so seriously. They were even ready to study dickpics for the sake of protecting consumers! 😅 This is a new level of dedication to work.
Mathilde
Pierre, you're right! This shows how seriously they take their work. I hope this serves as a lesson for other companies who want to speculate on the topic of health and AI. Health is not an area where you can experiment without proper reasons. 🏥💻