Michael DePeau-Wilson
MedPage Today
Originally posted 11 April 24
With the rise in patient-facing psychiatric chatbots powered by artificial intelligence (AI), the potential need for patient mental health data could drive a boom in cash-for-data scams, according to mental health experts.
A recent example of controversial data collection appeared on Craigslist when a company called Therapy For All allegedly posted an advertisement offering money for recording therapy sessions without any additional information about how the recordings would be used.
The company's advertisement and website had already been taken down by the time it was highlighted by a mental health influencer on TikTokopens in a new tab or window. However, archived screenshots of the websiteopens in a new tab or window revealed the company was seeking recorded therapy sessions "to better understand the format, topics, and treatment associated with modern mental healthcare."
Their stated goal was "to ultimately provide mental healthcare to more people at a lower cost," according to the defunct website.
In service of that goal, the company was offering $50 for each recording of a therapy session of at least 45 minutes with clear audio of both the patient and their therapist. The company requested that the patients withhold their names to keep the recordings anonymous.
Here is a summary:
The article highlights several ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI in mental health care:
The lack of patient consent and privacy protections when companies collect sensitive mental health data to train AI models. For example, the nonprofit Koko used OpenAI's GPT-3 to experiment with online mental health support without proper consent protocols.
The issue of companies sharing patient data without authorization, as seen with the Crisis Text Line platform, which led to significant backlash from users.
The clinical risks of relying solely on AI-powered chatbots for mental health therapy, rather than having human clinicians involved. Experts warn this could be "irresponsible and ultimately dangerous" for patients dealing with complex, serious conditions.
The potential for unethical "cash-for-data" schemes, such as the Therapy For All company that sought to obtain recorded therapy sessions without proper consent, in order to train AI models.
