Ethical, legal and social aspects of mHealth technologies: Navigating the field

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies, such as apps, smartwatches, sensors or technology built into shoes or fabrics, are increasingly becoming an essential part of healthy life- styles, disease prevention and management. The hope is that mHealth can revolutionise and transform healthcare (European Commission 2014, 2018; WHO 2011).

Given the ground-breaking importance for health and health care mHealth is assumed to have, our research team “META”1 interrogates the ethical, legal and social aspects (ELSA) of mHealth. In this article, we identify some profound and potentially conflicting implications of mHealth for individuals and society. In our conclusion, we emphasise the importance of rethinking disciplinary and normative approaches to mHealth.