The digital age has brought convenience to many aspects of our lives, including tracking menstrual cycles. However, not all period tracking apps prioritize user privacy equally. Recent research has revealed that some apps share users’ health data with third parties, raising concerns about data security and user consent.
In this article, we’ll delve into the findings of a comprehensive study conducted by the Mozilla Foundation, which evaluated the privacy practices of six popular period tracking apps: Flo, Clue, Stardust, Spot On, Period Calendar, and Euki. We’ll explore the different ways these apps handle your data and provide tips on how to protect your privacy when choosing a menstrual cycle tracker.
Who Sees Your Health Data?
The Mozilla Foundation’s investigation uncovered significant differences in how these apps manage user data. Stardust, an app that combines menstrual cycle tracking with astrology, was found to share detailed reproductive health data with a data management company called RudderStack. This data includes sensitive information such as pregnancy status, birth control methods, moods, alcohol consumption, and specific symptoms like tender breasts and stomach cramps.
While it’s common for companies to share data with outside services for processing and analysis, experts caution that spreading your data to more places increases the risk of security breaches or legal requests for information. Stardust maintains that RudderStack is used as a ‘technical pipeline’ and that the data shared cannot be used to identify individual users. However, privacy advocates argue that users should be fully informed about how their data is being used.
The Spot On App and Planned Parenthood’s Website
Spot On, an app developed by the sexual health organization Planned Parenthood, also had privacy issues related to health information. While the app itself does not share data with other companies, certain features within the app direct users to Planned Parenthood’s website, which has less secure privacy protections. The website shares information about the type of healthcare users are seeking with an analytics company called AB Tasty, including whether users are looking for HIV testing or gender-affirming care.
Privacy experts suggest that Planned Parenthood could easily configure its website to make it harder for outside services to know what users are looking at. This is not the first time Planned Parenthood has faced criticism over privacy issues, highlighting the ongoing challenges in balancing data sharing with user privacy.
Who Sees That You’ve Used the App?
Most of the apps in the report do not share details about users’ health, but some track users in other ways. Many of the apps send basic user information to advertising and analytics services, including platforms run by Google, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok. This data can be used for targeted ads and, in some cases, to track users across other parts of the internet.
Simply revealing the fact that you use a reproductive health app can have consequences, according to Sara Geoghegan, director of the Consumer Privacy Program at the Electronic Privacy Information Center. This information could let law enforcement know there’s a trove of health data to get their hands on, contributing to a broader tapestry of surveillance that can be very revealing.
For example, Period Calendar, also known as ‘Period Tracker Period Calendar,’ sends ID numbers and information about your device to Google and the advertising company InMobi. According to the report, there’s no way to prevent this. Stardust shares similar information with Facebook and AppsFlyer, though users can opt out using their phone’s privacy settings. When accessing Planned Parenthood’s website through the Spot On app, it shares similar information with companies including Google, Microsoft, TikTok, and Pinterest, and there’s no way to prevent this.
Stardust maintains that it does not share any health data with advertising platforms, using AppsFlyer and Meta only for measuring and optimizing advertising campaigns. However, the findings highlight the importance of being aware of how your data is being used and taking steps to protect your privacy.
