Father
Professional
- Messages
- 2,602
- Reaction score
- 786
- Points
- 113
Experts warn about possible data leaks and security breaches.
A new study shows that women's health monitoring apps put women at risk by forcing them to disclose highly sensitive information and managing that data poorly.
The study analyzed the privacy policies and data security tags of 20 of the most popular apps of this type, which are commonly used to help women conceive. Numerous weaknesses in data management were identified, including the lack of a delete function, even for personal information such as menstrual cycles and miscarriages.
The authors of the study claim that this is the most extensive assessment of this kind conducted to date. The apps are used by hundreds of millions of people around the world.
The BBC contacted a number of app developers, but none of them provided comments.
According to the study's lead author, Dr. Ruba Abu-Salma of King's College London, " Despite the importance of apps for managing women's health around the world, their benefits are currently being undermined by privacy and security concerns." She added that "mismanagement or leaking of reproductive health data can lead to serious consequences, including blackmail, discrimination and violence."
The study, conducted in collaboration with University College London, covered the most popular apps in the US and UK downloaded from Google Play stores. The issue of confidentiality of reproductive health data has become particularly relevant in the United States after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Some privacy experts fear that data from menstruation tracking apps could be used to target individuals seeking termination of pregnancy.
Data from health tracking apps may include information about sexual activity, contraception, and the start and end times of menstruation, as well as information about abortions or miscarriages. The study concludes that" in many cases " women's data may be available to law enforcement or security agencies. Only one app explicitly considered the sensitivity of menstruation data to law enforcement and made efforts to protect users from legal threats.
Changes in the US legal framework have added "urgency" to the discussion, Dr Abu-Salma said, but pointed out that similar concerns exist in other countries, such as the UK, where regulators are also investigating.
Other key findings of the study include:
A new study shows that women's health monitoring apps put women at risk by forcing them to disclose highly sensitive information and managing that data poorly.
The study analyzed the privacy policies and data security tags of 20 of the most popular apps of this type, which are commonly used to help women conceive. Numerous weaknesses in data management were identified, including the lack of a delete function, even for personal information such as menstrual cycles and miscarriages.
The authors of the study claim that this is the most extensive assessment of this kind conducted to date. The apps are used by hundreds of millions of people around the world.
The BBC contacted a number of app developers, but none of them provided comments.
According to the study's lead author, Dr. Ruba Abu-Salma of King's College London, " Despite the importance of apps for managing women's health around the world, their benefits are currently being undermined by privacy and security concerns." She added that "mismanagement or leaking of reproductive health data can lead to serious consequences, including blackmail, discrimination and violence."
The study, conducted in collaboration with University College London, covered the most popular apps in the US and UK downloaded from Google Play stores. The issue of confidentiality of reproductive health data has become particularly relevant in the United States after the Supreme Court's decision to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Some privacy experts fear that data from menstruation tracking apps could be used to target individuals seeking termination of pregnancy.
Data from health tracking apps may include information about sexual activity, contraception, and the start and end times of menstruation, as well as information about abortions or miscarriages. The study concludes that" in many cases " women's data may be available to law enforcement or security agencies. Only one app explicitly considered the sensitivity of menstruation data to law enforcement and made efforts to protect users from legal threats.
Changes in the US legal framework have added "urgency" to the discussion, Dr Abu-Salma said, but pointed out that similar concerns exist in other countries, such as the UK, where regulators are also investigating.
Other key findings of the study include:
- 35% of apps claim that they do not share personal data with third parties, but contradict this in their privacy policies.
- 50% assure users that health data will not be shared with advertisers, but remain uncertain about other data collected.
- 45% of privacy policies disclaim responsibility for third-party practices, despite claims of verification by these parties.
