How period trackers share women's private details
A Mozilla Foundation investigation has revealed that several popular period-tracking apps share sensitive user health data with third-party companies. While some apps have improved their privacy standards, others continue to share reproductive health information, raising concerns about data misuse in legal contexts.
Why it matters
The intersection of digital health data and legal privacy is increasingly critical, especially regarding reproductive rights and surveillance.
Some apps are sharing users' health data. New research uncovers which apps lock down your privacy, and which don't.
Stardust is a period tracking app that combines users' menstrual cycles with astrology and horoscopes. It also makes bold privacy promises.
"Your data is private," Stardust says on its website. "Period."
The problem, according to a new report shared exclusively with the BBC, is you and Stardust may have different definitions of "private".
The Mozilla Foundation, creator of the Firefox web browser, investigated the privacy practices of six popular period trackers: Flo, Clue, Stardust, Spot On, Period Calendar and Euki.
Some apps have strong protections. Others handle data in ways you might find disturbing, like sharing information with Google, Meta and TikTok, alongside other companies you've likely never heard of.
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