How Corporate Biometrics Exploit Genetic Data to Sell Wellness, Not Health Equity
Original framing: “AlterMe Review: Fitness Built Around My DNA” — Wired
Marginalized groups, such as disabled users, people with chronic illnesses, or low-income communities, are systematically excluded from narratives about ‘optimal fitness.’ For example, wheelchair users or those with *Ehlers-Danlos syndrome* may have valid fitness goals not measurable by a smart ring, yet AlterMe’s design assumes able-bodied, neurotypical users. The piece also silences voices like those of *fat acceptance* advocates, who argue that Western fitness standards are rooted in fatphobia and ableism. Additionally, racial minorities are often overrepresented in genetic databases but underrepresented in the design of such tools—risking algorithms that misclassify or pathologize their health data. AlterMe’s framing erases these perspectives, reinforcing a one-size-fits-all model that fails to address structural barriers like food insecurity or unsafe neighborhoods.
AlterMe’s smart ring is not just a fitness tool but a node in a broader system where corporate actors monetize health data under the guise of personalization, obscuring structural inequalities and cultural alternatives.
The original framing treats genetic insights as revolutionary, yet it ignores how such narratives have repeatedly been co-opted to justify exclusion—from 19th-century eugenics to 20th-century IQ testing—while erasing indigenous and cross-cultural health models that prioritize relational, ecological, and spiritual dimensions. The piece’s focus on individual habit formation distracts from the fact that fitness outcomes are shaped by workplace conditions, food access, and healthcare systems—factors AlterMe’s app cannot address. Meanwhile, marginalized voices, from disabled users to racial minorities, are absent from the design and marketing of these tools, reinforcing a one-size-fits-all model that fails to account for cultural variations in metabolism, activity, or body ideals. The trickster here is *Eshu*, exposing how ‘personalized’ wellness is a Trojan horse for data extraction, while the solution lies in community-owned data cooperatives, regulated public utilities for biometric data, and holistic health metrics that honor global traditions. The synthesis reveals a systemic pattern: tech companies profit from commodifying health, while governments and institutions fail to regulate the ethical use of biometric data, leaving users vulnerable to exploitation under the illusion of empowerment.