App that promised to ’employ AI to weed out daters with STDs’ has been shut down

Calmara, an AI-powered app by HeHealth taken over“Our innovative AI technology offers fast, confidential, and scientifically validated sexual health screenings so you can feel confident before your intimate encounters,” but it has now been shut down following an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The app encouraged daters to send penis photos to check for sexually transmitted diseases, promising “clear, science-backed answers about your partner’s sexual health,” according to FTC Letter dated July 11. The letter outlined some of the agency’s concerns about the information HeHealth was basing its claims on, including one that said it could detect more than 10 sexually transmitted diseases up to 94 percent accuracy.

The FTC notes that HeHealth paid several study authors, that the main study cited by the company assessed only four types of sexually transmitted diseases, not 10, and that the data used to train the AI ​​model included images of users who had never taken a diagnostic test to confirm the results.

The HeHealth app, which uses the same AI, was advertised more as a first step for people looking to connect with a doctor.

The company agreed to shut down both apps by July 15, and Calmara’s website and links to the HeHealth app appear to be unavailable. The company also agreed to delete all personal customer information obtained through the apps or payment providers and ask those providers to delete any data about their customers, the FTC said.

“The hard-working FTC staff is so committed to protecting consumers that they are willing to review sites with penis pictures to protect Americans from AI-based scammers,” said a source familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the investigation. Edge.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a civil investigative order (similar to a subpoena) seeking information about Calmar’s advertising claims and privacy practices and informed HeHealth that it was unlawful to make health benefit claims without “credible scientific evidence.”

HeHealth did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Edge.

The FTC said it would not pursue the investigation because HeHealth agreed to the terms and because of the “low number of users and sales of Calmara in the U.S.” However, it warned that “the Commission reserves the right to take any further action that the public interest requires.”