![\"Female](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/071625-Doctor-Paperwork-Tablet_CM_01.jpg\")
Photo via iStock Photo<\/p>\nPhoto via iStock Photo<\/p>\n
If your doctor\u2019s office has ever asked you to sign an electronic pad without showing you exactly what you\u2019re signing, you aren\u2019t alone.<\/p>\n
CalMatters\u2019 director of sociotechnical research, Alex Rosenblat, heard dozens of stories like this as she visited clinics across the country<\/a> to see how hard it is for patients to do basic things like get a copy of their paperwork, or opt out of sharing their health data more broadly.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the end of Alex\u2019s last pregnancy, she was at her OB-GYN\u2019s office when she was given a form. It asked her to agree to let Phreesia, a tech company that helps doctors\u2019 offices with the check-in process, use her private health data for targeted advertising. Legally, she didn\u2019t have to sign it, but it was labeled \u201cRequired\u201d in red.<\/p>\n Alex: \u201cThat made me wonder: When patients are asked to make privacy choices during medical registration, can they actually choose anything other than \u2018Yes\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n She soon learned how hard it would be for many patients to say no. She found dark patterns that can manipulate patients into choices about how their data can be searched across health networks. The forms say you can opt out, but you can\u2019t actually opt out right away.\u00a0<\/p>\n Alex\u2019s reporting also found that the dark patterns that consumer protection agencies have tackled in other areas of society, like finance, haven\u2019t been on the agenda for healthcare privacy regulators. But experts say that could change.\u00a0<\/p>\n Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n Help us report on how this works in California: Have you tried to opt out of health information sharing? Were you asked to sign a privacy notice you couldn\u2019t read or decline? Have you had to negotiate the use of AI transcription or found errors in medical transcripts? Email Alex at arosenblat@calmatters.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n CalMatters\u2019 2026 Voter Guide is here to help. We break down key races, tell you who\u2019s bankrolling each campaign, help you register to vote and give you all the other information you\u2019ll need to make your vote count. Check it out<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other Stories You Should Know<\/p>\n Record-breaking spending on governor\u2019s race<\/p>\n This primary election is the most expensive primary campaign in state history<\/a>, and a lot of the money is coming from outside groups, report CalMatters\u2019 Jeanne Kuang and Jeremia Kimelman.\u00a0<\/p>\n Unlike candidates, these groups \u2014 known as independent expenditure committees \u2014 can receive unlimited donations and are often funded by corporations and other special interests. So far these committees reported pouring $79 million into this election, which is more than double the amount spent through the November 2018 general election when Gov. Gavin Newsom won his first term.\u00a0<\/p>\n Much of that money has largely targeted Tom Steyer: A committee funded by the state Realtors association, the California Chamber of Commerce, Pacific Gas & Electric and the state\u2019s electrical workers\u2019 union spent $32 million in ads opposing him.\u00a0<\/p>\n Steyer has embraced the spending against him, citing it as evidence he would stand up to utilities and big business if elected. The billionaire climate activist has poured an unprecedented $213 million of his own money into his campaign.<\/p>\n Read more<\/a>.<\/p>\n Social media ban proposal advances<\/p>\n From CalMatters politics reporter Yue Stella Yu:<\/p>\n Been doomscrolling much?\u00a0<\/p>\n Assembly lawmakers on Thursday unanimously advanced a proposal to ban most social media accounts for children under 16<\/a>, in their latest attempt at regulating tech companies that keep kids hooked to their phones.\u00a0<\/p>\n The measure, modeled after a nationwide ban in Australia, would prevent teens from having an account on any social media platforms providing \u201caddictive\u201d personalized feeds and fine those companies for violations. It builds on a 2024 state ban<\/a> on companies supplying children with addictive content without parental consent.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some tech groups, digital privacy advocates and LGBTQ activists opposed it, arguing it\u2019d threaten children\u2019s First Amendment rights to online information.\u00a0<\/p>\n The bill now heads to the Senate and already has Newsom\u2019s blessing.\u00a0<\/p>\n California Voices<\/p>\n CalMatters columnist Dan Walters: Newsom subliminally pitches the notion that electing him as president could bring California-like prosperity and generosity to the nation as a whole, but he also fails to mention that the state has one of the highest levels of income disparity<\/a>.<\/p>\n California cities should be paying attention to Berkeley\u2019s soda tax success story, which led to $11.9 million being reinvested into communities the beverage industry targeted, writes Xavier Morales<\/a>, who has served on Berkeley\u2019s Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Product Panel of Experts for more than a decade.<\/p>\n Other things worth your time:<\/p>\n Some stories may require a subscription to read.<\/p>\n Newsom vows to levy 100% tax on CA recipients of Trump\u2019s $1.8B \u2018slush fund\u2019 \/\/ Los Angeles Times<\/a><\/p>\n State worker union tries novel legal angle to stop Newsom\u2019s return-to-office order \/\/ The Sacramento Bee<\/a><\/p>\n What are public employee unions for? The Blue State dilemma over labor \/\/ The Atlantic<\/a><\/p>\n UC professors cite students\u2019 \u2018severe\u2019 math deficits in call for return of SAT requirement \/\/ EdSource<\/a><\/p>\n Renting in SF comes with surprise fees. A new law would force landlords to show them \/\/ San Francisco Chronicle<\/a><\/p>\n ICE agent who killed LA man allegedly threatened criminal charges over being identified \/\/ Los Angeles Times<\/a><\/p>\n Garden Grove and Stanton demand accountability for chemical tank emergency \/\/ Voice of OC<\/a><\/p>\n Drivers find cheap gas in Valley Center, on tribal land \/\/ The New York Times<\/a><\/p>\n .wp-block-group__inner-container > :not(h2){margin: 16px 40px !important;}.cm-cta.long-ask .wp-block-group .wp-block-group__inner-container{display: flex;gap: 12px;align-items: center;}.cm-cta.long-ask figure{max-width: 40px;flex-shrink: 0;}.cm-cta.long-ask .wp-block-group p{font-size: 18px;font-weight: 700;line-height: 120%;letter-spacing: -0.36px;width: 100%;}.cm-cta.long-ask .wp-block-group .wp-block-buttons{flex-shrink: 0;}.cm-cta.long-ask .wp-block-button__link{padding-left: 40px;padding-right: 40px;}@container long-ask (min-width: 601px){.cm-cta.long-ask *{font-size: 16px;}}@container long-ask (max-width: 600px){.cm-cta.long-ask h2,.cm-cta.long-ask .wp-block-group p{text-align: center;}.cm-cta.long-ask h2{background: linear-gradient(90deg,#FFE094 0%,#FFB500 100%);padding: 12px 20px;font-size: 20px;letter-spacing: -0.4px;}.cm-cta.long-ask .wp-block-group .wp-block-group__inner-container{flex-direction: column;}.cm-cta.long-ask > .wp-block-group__inner-container > :not(h2){margin: 16px 20px !important;}}]]><\/p>\n Nonpartisan, independent California news for all<\/p>\n We\u2019re CalMatters, your nonprofit and nonpartisan news guide.<\/p>\n Our journalists are here to empower you and our mission continues to be essential.<\/p>\n We are independent and nonpartisan. Our trustworthy journalism is free from partisan politics, free from corporate influence and actually free for all Californians.<\/p>\n We are focused on California issues. From the environment to homelessness, economy and more, we publish the unfettered truth to keep you informed.<\/p>\n We hold people in power accountable. We probe and reveal the actions and inactions of powerful people and institutions, and the consequences that follow.<\/p>\n But we can\u2019t keep doing this without support from readers like you. Please give what you can today.<\/p>\n Every gift helps.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLynn La is the newsletter writer for CalMatters, focusing on California\u2019s top political, policy and Capitol stories every weekday. She produces and curates WhatMatters, CalMatters\u2019 flagship daily newsletter…\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/041426_Governors-Forum-Sacramento_MG_CM_14.jpg\")
Gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra during a gubernatorial forum at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel in Sacramento on April 14, 2026. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/070224_Teen-Cellphone_BANG_CM_01.jpg\")
Teenagers look at their phones at Santana Row in San Jose on July 2, 2024. Photo by Shae Hammond, Bay Area News Group<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/calmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Asset-2ii-2.png\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Avatar](\"https:\/\/calmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/cropped-Lynn-La-120x120.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMore by Lynn La\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Photo via iStock Photo If your doctor\u2019s office has ever asked you to sign an electronic pad without…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":673873,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[59],"tags":[97,252,253],"class_list":["post-673872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health-care","tag-health","tag-health-care","tag-healthcare"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/673872","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=673872"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/673872\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/673873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=673872"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=673872"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=673872"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}