The Google/HIPAA issue is a total red herring. HIPAA wouldn't make any of us safer in this instance...at least not by much. A violation of HIPAA, provided that's it not willful, is a $100 fine per instance...up to $25,000. Google makes $336 per second. I blogged about this here, if you're interested in more detail: Google Health: Why HIPAA Isn't The Point