The digital world has its idiosyncrasies when it comes to privacy. Smartphones and apps which have become a centre of our existence, have a shady side. Period apps are no exception.
They have been accused of leaking details about the private life of its users. A study by a UK based charity, Privacy International, had discovered that some apps have been revealing confidential information of its users to social networking sites, including details like when they last had sex without protection. The apps which top this hit list are; Maya and Period Tracker MIA Fem: Ovulation Calculator.
Maya had started circulating private information with Facebook much before they could even sign the privacy policy. Similarly, many other period-tracking apps assessed, had dingy privacy policies, thereby blocking its users from granting informed consent. Such revelations regarding period-tracking apps should be a clue that this is a serious concern.
What Even Is Privacy?
Patriarchy aims to rule and synchronize women’s bodies and physicalities. Digital surveillance becomes a highly robust method of achieving its end. Frederike Kaltheuner, who leads Privacy International’s work on corporate exploitation, added: “While privacy invasions affect us all, they disproportionately affect and harm those who are already marginalized.”
Catherine Feintuch, after delivering her second child, downloaded a free application named “Flo” to aid her in tracking her menstrual cycle. To furnish an authentic record for her gynaecologist, she entered the data about her periods; the exact dates and nature of her blood flow. In the hope of keeping her information confidential, the infectious disease researcher chose to be an anonymous user, opting against registering her email address.
Yet, she is sceptical as her private information might be dispersing into the world. “I understand that the app is free and I’m giving them my data in exchange for getting the service, but I don’t know what else the data I am giving them is being used for, or if the app is accessing other information on my phone.”
Feintuch, one out of fifty million women worldwide using a period tracker app, has the right to be worried. Such apps are bound to be useful tools for those who are attempting to conceive, avoiding pregnancy, or wish to keep track of the menstrual cycle and coupled health issues. But for such purposes, these apps gather and record private and intimate details. The range of information can be as broad as, how often does the couple engage in sex, usage of contraception, family planning, details about miscarriage, menopause and perimenopause.
Consumer Reports’ Digital Lab evaluated five popular period tracking apps— BabyCenter, Clue, Flo, My Calendar, and Ovia. They found those users who had kept their identity confidential like Feintuch had no surety as to whether their information would be shared for marketing and business purposes.
“This is an outrageous breach of trust, they have crossed the line,” expressed Monica, a user of MoneyControl. Monica, who has been utilizing this app since 2018 voiced her concern to the publication, “The information I use the app for is very personal and private that I don’t discuss with anybody else.”
It is high time for tech companies to cease the practice of users’ data being broadcasted without explicit and informed consent. “Consent is not just about a box to check,” stresses Eva Blum-Dumonte, said a researcher engaged with Privacy International and author of the report. “It is about being able to understand what you consent to and being able to refuse.”
Not Just Data Breach, The Apps Are Inaccessible
Most of the period apps are designed in English, and a handful of them provide their services in regional languages in India which creates serious barriers in availing their services. The health advice which they give is based on western research – which has its problems as the customers are women of colour. Moreover, they are manufactured for cis-women, ignoring the needs and concerns of transgender people.
Apart from this, I wonder, why can’t we just come back to sharing our menstrual information with our diaries and calendars? Atleast, it won’t be scattered to the entire cyber world, and we would be safeguarded from these villains who ultimately misuse our private content which forms a significant portion of our physical and mental health. Also, it won’t be a bad idea to put our cognitive faculties to use by opting non-digital recording and tracking choices.
The author is a part of the current batch of the #PeriodParGyan Writer’s Training Program