The Problem With American Platforms
For years, Europeans had no real choice. If you wanted online coaching or therapy, you ended up on an American platform — BetterHelp, Talkspace, Noom, or one of their clones. You trusted them with your deepest struggles, your mental health data, your personal goals.
Then we found out what they actually did with it.
BetterHelp was fined $7.8 million by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for sharing sensitive mental health data — including information about depression, suicidal thoughts, and medication use — with Facebook, Snapchat, Criteo, and Pinterest for targeted advertising.
Users who filled out intake questionnaires about their most vulnerable moments had that data packaged and sold to ad platforms. Despite explicit promises that health data would remain private.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, July 2023
This wasn't a bug. It was the business model. When a platform is free or cheap, you are the product. Your anxiety becomes an ad category. Your depression becomes a targeting parameter. Your search for help becomes someone else's revenue.
It Gets Worse: The CLOUD Act
Even if an American company promises to protect your data today, U.S. law can override that promise tomorrow. Under the CLOUD Act, American authorities can compel any U.S.-based company to hand over data — even data stored on European servers.
This means that every message you send through BetterHelp, every goal you set on an American coaching app, every vulnerable moment you share — it can all be accessed by U.S. government agencies without your knowledge or consent.
74% of European companies still depend on American B2B tech providers, despite the legal and privacy risks. For personal coaching and mental health, the stakes are even higher.
2025–2026: Why This Matters More Than Ever
The geopolitical landscape has shifted dramatically. Transatlantic relations are under strain. Trade wars, political unpredictability, and a growing disregard for international norms have made one thing clear: Europeans can no longer blindly trust American tech companies with their most sensitive data.
When the political leadership of a country treats allies as adversaries, imposes tariffs on European goods, undermines NATO, and openly questions the foundations of democratic institutions — it's fair to ask: should that country's companies have unrestricted access to your therapy notes?
The EU has responded. GDPR enforcement has intensified, with €6.7 billion in fines issued since 2018. The EU AI Act takes effect in August 2026. Europe is building its own digital infrastructure. It's time your coaching platform reflected that.
A Timeline of Broken Trust
2017–2020: BetterHelp shares health data with ad platforms
Users' mental health questionnaire responses — including details about depression, suicidal thoughts, and medication — were shared with Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest for advertising.
2023: FTC orders $7.8M settlement
The Federal Trade Commission banned BetterHelp from sharing health data for advertising and ordered refunds to affected users.
2024: Refund notices sent to affected users
BetterHelp customers who paid for services between 2017 and 2020 received refund notices — a fraction of the damage done.
2025–2026: Transatlantic trust collapses further
EU-US relations hit new lows. European regulators push for digital sovereignty. The question is no longer if you should switch — but when.
The Comparison: Europe vs. America
| Feature | MentraNova | BetterHelp / Talkspace |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Europe | United States |
| Data Jurisdiction | EU / GDPR | US / CLOUD Act |
| Data Sold to Advertisers | Never | Yes (FTC proven) |
| Privacy Model | Privacy by Design | Opt-out (buried) |
| Coach Matching | Smart Matching | Basic questionnaire |
| Goal & Progress Tracking | Built-in | None |
| Communication | Real-time encrypted chat | Async messaging |
| Motivation System | Streaks, badges, achievements | None |
| Payment | App Store only (no card on file) | Credit card required |
Why MentraNova Is Different
Built in Europe. Stays in Europe.
MentraNova isn't an American company with a European office. We are European from the ground up.
- ✓ European company, European servers, European law
- ✓ GDPR-native — not retrofitted, not "compliant enough"
- ✓ Your data never leaves the EU
- ✓ No data sharing with advertisers, ever
- ✓ No CLOUD Act exposure — the US government cannot access your data
- ✓ End-to-end encrypted messaging between you and your coach
European Coaches
Connect with professional coaches who understand European culture, work-life balance, and the challenges of living in the EU.
Privacy by Design
We don't collect data we don't need. We don't share what we do collect. Your growth journey is yours alone.
Smart Matching
Our algorithm matches you with the right coach based on your specific goals, personality, and preferences.
Real Progress Tracking
Set goals, complete tasks, earn achievements. See your growth visualized — not just talked about.
The Bigger Picture: Digital Sovereignty
This isn't just about one app. It's about a fundamental question: who controls your most personal data?
Europe has the strongest privacy laws in the world. The GDPR, the upcoming AI Act, the Digital Services Act — these aren't bureaucratic hurdles. They're shields. They exist because Europeans decided that privacy is a fundamental right, not a feature you can toggle off.
But those shields only work if the companies you use actually fall under European jurisdiction. When you use BetterHelp, you're governed by California law. When you use MentraNova, you're protected by European law.
The choice is yours. But it has never been clearer.
MentraNova is not anti-American. We are pro-European. We believe Europeans deserve a coaching platform built with European values: privacy, transparency, and respect for the individual.
Ready to Make the Switch?
If you're currently using an American coaching or therapy platform, switching to MentraNova takes less than two minutes. Download the app, tell us what you're working on, and we'll match you with a European coach who gets it.
No data harvesting. No ad targeting. No American jurisdiction over your mental health. Just coaching that works, built by people who believe your privacy isn't negotiable.
