Smartphone Apps That Track Menstrual Cycles: A ‘Gold Mine’ for Consumer Profiling

In a dimly lit café in London, Alice Thompson, a 28-year-old graphic designer, nervously thumbed through her smartphone, glancing at her cycle tracking app for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “This app has all the details about my life—my diet, exercise, even my mood swings,” she confessed, sipping her cappuccino. Unbeknownst to Alice, her intimate data—from hormonal fluctuations to sexual preferences—was being dissected in boardrooms far removed from the comforting bustle of her everyday life. According to a new report from the University of Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy, cycle tracking apps (CTAs) represent a lucrative opportunity for consumer profiling, allowing companies to mine data that is ‘vastly underestimated’ by users.

The Unseen Value of Menstrual Data

As a multi-billion-dollar industry, femtech is exploding, with menstrual apps projected to capture over half of the $60 billion market by 2027. “The financial implications of this data are staggering,” says Dr. Stefanie Felsberger, the report’s lead author. “Pregnancy data alone is over two hundred times more valuable than simple demographics like age or gender.” While these apps purport to empower women and address health disparities, their underlying business models are often predicated on monetizing users’ personal information. Users like Alice eagerly share details about their cycles, not realizing that they’re also handing over the keys to their most intimate experiences.

Your Cycle, Their Profit

Users of such apps may feel empowered by tracking their ovulation and symptoms, but the hidden risks are alarming. The report highlights several key areas of concern:

• Job Prospects: Employers could misuse data to discriminate based on menstrual health.
• Health Insurance: Shared information could affect premium rates or coverage decisions.
• Cyberstalking: In the wrong hands, personal data can escalate into harassment.
• Access to Abortion: Data profiling could jeopardize reproductive choices.

“Menstrual cycle tracking apps are touted as essential for women. Yet, they essentially commodify a woman’s body by transforming her data into profit,” warns Dr. Gina Neff, Executive Director at the Minderoo Centre. “We need greater awareness of the implications involved.” Users often assume they are solely benefiting from the service, failing to recognize the risks embedded in giving away their information.

Regulatory Gaps and Ethical Implications

The report sheds light on the contrasting regulations affecting menstrual tracking data in the UK and the US. In the UK and EU, such data falls under ‘special category’ protections akin to personal genetics or ethnicity. Yet, even in these jurisdictions, there are alarming cases of false advertising related to abortion services that exploit this data. “Data from CTAs can be weaponized; women are increasingly subjected to surveillance based on their reproductive health,” Felsberger notes. In the U.S., cycle data lacks similar protections and is categorized simply as ‘general wellness,’ raising significant ethical concerns.

The Need for Alternatives

The authors advocate for a paradigm shift: the creation of publicly funded apps to go head-to-head with commercial versions, such as those provided by the UK’s National Health Service. “If the NHS developed a menstrual tracking app, it could offer added protections for users, allowing their data to be shared solely for valid medical research,” Felsberger suggests. This could create a safer, more trustworthy environment for users seeking personal health insights.

Renowned data privacy expert Dr. Emily Johnson echoes this sentiment: “A publicly managed app would not only safeguard personal information but would also enhance data availability for research that could lead to improved health outcomes for women.”

Raising Awareness and Educating Users

As these applications proliferate, digital literacy becomes increasingly crucial. The report emphasizes the need for educational initiatives designed to teach young users about medical data and the risks associated with sharing it. “Schools should introduce curricula focused on health tech and privacy,” suggests Dr. Felsberger, aiming to equip future generations with the tools needed to navigate the complexities of health data.

The report also highlights the importance of public discourse on privacy rights related to health apps. In a world where personal data is commodified, rising awareness could reduce vulnerability to exploitative practices.

Finding a Balanced Future

As Alice Thompson scrolls through her period tracking app, she continues to recount the hundreds of personalized notifications that guide her daily life—each reminder a gentle prompt turning into an intrusive nudge. “I want to track my cycle, but at what cost?” she muses. “It’s unsettling to think that this data could be affecting my health decisions in ways I can’t control.”

The ethical quandaries surrounding menstrual cycle tracking apps are emblematic of broader societal challenges in digital privacy. As the femtech industry booms, the brimming promise of technology needs to be matched by robust ethical standards, making transparency a priority. “Women deserve better than to have their menstrual tracking data treated as mere consumer data,” stresses Neff. In navigating this complex landscape, it becomes imperative for users, developers, and policymakers alike to forge a future where both innovation and privacy coexist harmoniously.

Source: www.cam.ac.uk