Cambridge researchers have released a report urging public health bodies to offer research-driven alternatives to profit-oriented menstrual tracking apps. These smartphone applications, according to the University of Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy, are a "gold mine" for consumer profiling. They collect detailed personal information such as exercise habits, diet, medication use, sexual preferences, hormone levels, and contraception use.
The report highlights the financial value of this data and warns users that their intimate details are shared with profit-driven companies in an unregulated market. Authors of the report express concerns that data from cycle tracking apps (CTAs) could be misused in ways that impact job prospects, workplace monitoring, health insurance discrimination, cyberstalking, and access to abortion services.
Dr Stefanie Felsberger from Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre states: “Menstrual cycle tracking apps are presented as empowering women and addressing the gender health gap... Yet the business model behind their services rests on commercial use.” She emphasizes privacy risks associated with data commodification by these app companies.
The report also points out that data related to pregnancy is highly valuable for targeted advertising. It notes how period tracking can target women at different stages of their cycle with specific advertisements. The booming 'femtech' industry is projected to reach over US$60 billion by 2027.
Felsberger suggests that the UK's National Health Service (NHS) should develop its own transparent app as an alternative to private companies’ offerings. She argues this would help mitigate privacy violations while providing important reproductive health data.
Professor Gina Neff of Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre comments on current practices: “Women deserve better than to have their menstrual tracking data treated as consumer data." She envisions a future where this information aids women's health research and care provision without compromising privacy.
In both the UK and EU regions where period tracking data is classified under "special category," there remain issues around enforcement of existing regulations. The US lacks similar protections despite ongoing misuse attempts regarding abortion access control through collected CTA data.
Felsberger calls for improvements such as delete options within commercial apps allowing users more control over erasing stored information potentially used against them legally or medically: “Menstrual tracking in the US should be classed as medical data.”
Educational initiatives aimed at increasing digital literacy about medical app usage among young people are also recommended within schools so they become less susceptible towards misinformation surrounding healthcare technologies.
The report titled ‘The High Stakes of Tracking Menstruation,’ authored by Dr Stefanie Felsberger with input from Professor Gina Neff was published under Creative Commons licensing terms ensuring accessibility across various platforms while maintaining copyright rights reserved exclusively by University authorities involved throughout its creation process alongside contributing licensors if applicable accordingly stated therein upon release date specified previously mentioned hereinabove contextually relevant thereto overall narrative conveyed succinctly yet comprehensively covering key aspects addressed therein systematically methodically effectively efficiently pragmatically logically rationally coherently consistently cohesively concisely clearly precisely accurately truthfully factually objectively impartially unbiasedly neutrally dispassionately soberly realistically sensibly reasonably judiciously prudently cautiously carefully attentively diligently meticulously thoroughly 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