Smart ring maker Oura’s CEO addresses recent backlash, says future is a ‘cloud of wearables’

Oura CEO Tom Hale addressed recent backlash stemming from misinformation that the company shares user data with the U.S. government. Hale firmly denied these claims, clarifying that Oura’s health data—collected through its smart rings, including metrics like heart rate, sleep, and body temperature—is never shared or sold without explicit user consent. He explained that while Oura participates in a Department of Defense (DoD) program, the enterprise solution operates in a separate, secure environment inaccessible to the government. Hale also dispelled rumors about a significant partnership with Palantir, stating that Oura’s relationship is limited to a small commercial contract related to a DoD certification standard (Impact Level 5) and does not involve data sharing or system integration. Hale emphasized the company’s commitment to user privacy and security, noting that Oura’s terms of service explicitly oppose using user data for surveillance or prosecution. Access to user data is tightly controlled and only permitted with user authorization for specific purposes, such as