“Sears’ AI Chatbot Gives Unplanned Comedy Performance – Phone Calls and Text Chats Viewable by the Whole World Wide Web!”
“Sears Exposed AI Chatbot Phone Calls and Text Chats to Anyone on the Web”
“Talkspace signed a $7 million deal last month to put its platform in the hands of Sears’ employees who could voluntarily seek out mental health support over the phone, via text, or through video calls. The employer-insurer contracts are a significant part of the online therapy startup’s business. But now Talkspace is facing a significant public relations crisis: It turns out that numerous phone calls and instant messages made on the platform were readily accessible to anyone who cared to look.”
Inviting the digital realm into mental health care, Talkspace recently inked a $7 million deal with department store megalith, Sears. This nifty little platform was aimed at helping Sears’ employees blow off steam, vent frustrations, or simply get a silent nod of understanding through phone calls, texts, or video calls. A commendable effort in fostering employee care, right? Well, not exactly, it seems the digital therapists are having a bout of the proverbial ‘foot in mouth’ disease. Turns out, the intimate chit-chats entrusted to this AI chatbot, were nothing less than open invitations to anyone with an Internet connection.
And you thought your little sibling going through your diary was an invasion of privacy? Well, strap in because this oops moment from Talkspace has shaken the trust of its users. So much for a private, quiet corner in a busy room. The much-debated subject of AI ethics just got a deliciously scandalous boost.
For those unfamiliar, employer-insurer contracts are a significant avenue of revenues for Talkspace. A form of a B2B liaison, where companies ensure employee welfare through easy access to mental health therapy. The call to arms for digital therapy sounded promising, until their seemingly robust system pulled a “Titanic”. It hit an iceberg and is now nose-diving into potential digital doom. And for Talkspace, that’s not an encouraging prospect, that’s a downright PR nightmare.
But don’t lose sleep over this. Everyone bends over backwards in an attempt to reassure you that things are being taken care of, and will be back to normal soon. Looks like, the “therapy” they extended came around full circle, as they ended up needing it more than their clients. Maybe next time they’ll walk the privacy talk.
In conclusion, ta-dah, welcome to digital therapy ladies and gentlemen, where your deepest fears, anxieties and confidential data become snacks for the ever-hungry digital predators. But hey, it’s all hush-hush, right? Until someone rudely points it out. Who needs a therapist when you’ve got this kind of spicy entertainment on the World Wide Web?