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1. Embed this notice
   Lance R. Vick (lrvick@mastodon.social)'s status on Tuesday, 12-Mar-2024 09:11:31 JST Lance R. Vick

   It's official. After 3 months of back and forth, a major medical provider has elected to drop me as a patient for not having a Google or Apple device.

   It is unclear if this is legal, but it is very clearly discriminatory and unethical.

   Any tech journalists or lawyers interested interested in this?

   I would like to do anything I can to ensure this never happens to anyone else.

   • Haelwenn /элвэн/ :triskell:, narcolepsy and alcoholism :flag: and :blobancap: :blobcattrans: :blobancap: :blobcattrans: :blobancap: :blobcattrans: like this.
   • Embed this notice
     Joe Ortiz (joeo10@mastodon.sdf.org)'s status on Tuesday, 12-Mar-2024 09:45:16 JST Joe Ortiz

     in reply to

     @lrvick Federal legislation is the only way to stop this but as long as the US lacks strong laws that protect consumers and patients from these illegal acts and Congress continues to not give a damn, this will continue to happen.

   • Embed this notice
     Aral Balkan (aral@mastodon.ar.al)'s status on Tuesday, 12-Mar-2024 21:57:05 JST Aral Balkan

     in reply to

     • Glyn Moody
     • Chief TWiT :twit:
     • Julia Angwin
     • Paris Marx
     • The Markup
     • Tactical Tech ✅
     • 404 Media
     • Wolfie Christl

     @lrvick CC @404mediaco @themarkup @glynmoody @Julia @parismarx @leo @wchr @info_activism

   • Embed this notice
     Lance R. Vick (lrvick@mastodon.social)'s status on Wednesday, 13-Mar-2024 01:34:43 JST Lance R. Vick

     in reply to

     • Jennifer
     • Thomas Phinney, Font Detective

     @tphinney @Jennifer Exactly this, and they chose to introduce it months after I became a patient, having known from the outset that I do not have or want a Google or Apple device.

     I gave up my smartphone 3 years ago, and am a lot happier being disconnected when I am not at my desk. It would seem some don't consider this a valid lifestyle choice.

     This is the first time anyone has refused me services for not having a phone.

     Haelwenn /элвэн/ :triskell: likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Thomas Phinney, Font Detective (tphinney@typo.social)'s status on Wednesday, 13-Mar-2024 01:34:44 JST Thomas Phinney, Font Detective

     in reply to

     • Jennifer

     @Jennifer @lrvick I am imagining that the org is using some kind of patient service system that (1) is required, and (2) only works on iOS and Android, but has no web option. (Or if it does, they are not using it.)

   • Embed this notice
     Jennifer (jennifer@bookstodon.com)'s status on Wednesday, 13-Mar-2024 01:34:45 JST Jennifer

     in reply to

     @lrvick what?? Why on earth would you need an Apple or Google device?