At a timewhen Facebook is facing scrutiny over compromising the personaldata of its users, a tool that asks users to disclose sensitiveinformation is bound to heighten concerns about privacy.

Facebook is seeking to expand into health care, but it'snaturally prompting concerns about privacy.

The social media giant has unveiled a tool that will encouragepeople to get cancer screenings, flu shots and other importantpreventative care.

"Our initial focus is on the top two leading causes of death inthe US: heart disease and cancer, (according to CDC) as well as theflu, a seasonal illness that affects millions each year," explainsthe company in a message posted online Monday.

Related: Facebook: A new source for medicaldiagnostics?

However, in order to identify people most likely to benefit fromthese services, the tool will request personal information, fromage, weight, height and the results of cholesterol tests.

At a time when Facebook is facing scrutiny over compromising thepersonal data of its users, a tool that asks users to disclosesensitive information is bound to heighten concerns aboutprivacy.

The company promises that privacy is a priority.

"Preventive Health allows you to set reminders for your futurecheckups and mark them as done, but it doesn't provide us, or thehealth organizations we're working with, access to your actual testresults," says the company. "Personal information about youractivity in Preventive Health is not shared with third parties,such as health organizations or insurance companies, so it can't beused for purposes like insurance eligibility."

The company also assures users that they won't see ads onFacebook based on the information they provide to the health tool.However, Facebook has already been using health information tomarket to users based on data that third-party apps have beenproviding the social network.

The problem is, Facebook's stated promise to not share healthdata with others does not assure users that their information isnecessarily safe. There will continue to be concerns about hackersor third-party apps manipulating users to access the data, as wasthe case in the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

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