University of Sydney, Charles Perkins Centre
Grant round: 2016
Amount: $59,842.30
The market for apps targeted at mental health is booming, yet largely unregulated. This project has developed a toolkit for app developers designed to help them identify and mitigate risks related to privacy, predatory or deceptive advertising, and commercial biases. The research team has approached these issues from a policy perspective and mapping of the regulatory environment was completed to identify existing structures, key gaps and policy priorities for consumer protection. This is included in the report below. This project was launched at the annual Charles Perkins Centre “Bias and Research Integrity" Symposium, 9 May, 2017.
Download the report
Download: 
Finding Peace of Mind - Navigating the Marketplace of Mental Health Apps.pdf1.68 MB
Download: 
Finding Peace of Mind - Navigating the Marketplace of Mental Health Apps.docx792.34 KB
Tool for developers
As part of this project, the research team have created the App Developer's Guide to Law and Policy. This tool is designed to help developers identify which Australian laws may apply to apps they are developing, and suggests best practices to promote consumer confidence and ensure compliance with industry and community standards.
Go to: App Developer's Guide to Law and Policy
Tip Sheet
An illustrated tip sheet has been produced to help consumers navigate mental health apps.