What not to expect when you're expecting: Fertility apps may be selling intimate health secrets
(2021/05/05)
- Reference: 1620199926
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/05/05/fertility_apps_leak_personal_information/
- Source link:
Hundreds of millions of women turn to fertility apps to conceive or prevent pregnancy, and according to a new study those apps may leak very personal information including miscarriages, abortions, sexual history, potential infertility and pregnancy.
The study considered privacy notices and tracking practices of 30 free, popular, fertility apps available on the Google Play Store. The apps collected information such as temperature, mood, sexual activity, climax, and medical records.
The pair found that most of the apps were not GDPR compliant. Furthermore, the sheer act of installing and opening them activated an average 3.8 trackers, many without users granting permission.
[1]
[2]
The apps were also largely categorized under “Health and Fitness,” but the researchers feel the information they gather means they should be considered as medical apps.
The study authors, Umea University’s Dr. Teresa Almeida and the University of Newcastle’s Dr. Maryam Mehrnezhad said this miscategorization means the apps can fly under the radar when it comes to data mismanagement and remove barriers to sales of the unauthorized data.
Almeida [3]said in a press release:
Data are kept in such a vulnerable condition, one in which a default setting allows not only for monetizing data but also to sustain systems of interpersonal violence or harm, such as in cases of pregnancy loss or abortion, and demands a more careful approach to how technology is designed and developed.
The study results are scheduled for presentation at CHI 2021 Conference from May 8-13. ®
Get our [4]Tech Resources
[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YJJst4ELOkLpx8PxjmIu6gAAAIk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YJJst4ELOkLpx8PxjmIu6gAAAIk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-05/nu-faw050421.php
[4] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The study considered privacy notices and tracking practices of 30 free, popular, fertility apps available on the Google Play Store. The apps collected information such as temperature, mood, sexual activity, climax, and medical records.
The pair found that most of the apps were not GDPR compliant. Furthermore, the sheer act of installing and opening them activated an average 3.8 trackers, many without users granting permission.
[1]
[2]
The apps were also largely categorized under “Health and Fitness,” but the researchers feel the information they gather means they should be considered as medical apps.
The study authors, Umea University’s Dr. Teresa Almeida and the University of Newcastle’s Dr. Maryam Mehrnezhad said this miscategorization means the apps can fly under the radar when it comes to data mismanagement and remove barriers to sales of the unauthorized data.
Almeida [3]said in a press release:
Data are kept in such a vulnerable condition, one in which a default setting allows not only for monetizing data but also to sustain systems of interpersonal violence or harm, such as in cases of pregnancy loss or abortion, and demands a more careful approach to how technology is designed and developed.
The study results are scheduled for presentation at CHI 2021 Conference from May 8-13. ®
Get our [4]Tech Resources
[1] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YJJst4ELOkLpx8PxjmIu6gAAAIk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YJJst4ELOkLpx8PxjmIu6gAAAIk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[3] https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-05/nu-faw050421.php
[4] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Apps
hoola
Too many simply don't care and will just install any manner of Apps regardless of any permissions, data handling or terms and conditions.
Those who do will look more closely but in many cases you options are to not install anything or make the best of a bad job that involves a lot of fiddling around. Hell even big-names are just as bad as small developers, the terms and conditions pages are just longer and even more incomprehensible.
Re: Apps
alain williams
T&Cs are written to not be understandable and thus allow the app vendor to do what they want.
But what the T&Cs say and what they actually do are often not the same thing.
It seems the first rule of business now is callousness, the majority of online business merely sees people as a means to wealth and disregards their humanity completely.
Ethics is a county and a moral is an edible fungus!