Should I Delete My Period Tracker App?
If you menstruate and have a smartphone, you probably have a “period tracker”. Since the overturn of Roe v Wade on June 24th, questions around period trackers have been making their way into the minds of many. “To delete or not delete”, that is the question on a lot of app users' minds. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide, but we thought it might be helpful to have some of the information first.
Period tracking apps are very popular. Flo advertises itself as the most popular period tracker, boasting 43 million active users. Clue claims 12 million active users. Suffice it is to say, menstrual cycle tracking app use is widespread.
But how private is your personal data when using a period tracker? A 2022 study by the Journal of Medical Internet Research found…
20 out of 23 period cycle tracking apps shared data with third parties.
Only 16 of the 23 displayed a privacy policy for users to read.
Only 12 out of the 23 studied apps (roughly half) requested consent from users to collect their data; 3 of the apps began collecting data before receiving consent.
Do not automatically assume that because you live in a state with reproductive rights protections, privacy is not a concern for you. We don’t really know when life might prompt us to make decisions that result in a move to a more hostile state. From caring for an elderly parent/grandparent to moving for a job opportunity, Americans have many reasons to move across state lines. You might have a period tracking app on your phone while you live in Illinois, but then you make the decision to move to Utah, and suddenly you may be in a bind.
The privacy policies of these period tracker apps can be hard to decipher. The question seems to be, what are these companies doing with your information? The unfortunate answer is that, for the most part, we don’t really know. Those on both sides of the political aisle have been raising concerns for years over “Big Tech'' and the murky uncertainty of huge corporations possessing so much of our personal information. Undoubtedly, big companies are using our data to market their products to us, but they also sell our data to third-parties. In the case of period trackers, data could be sold or shared with the government or watchdog groups.
This Vice article explores 10 popular period tracking apps and their data sharing policies..
Some alternatives might be:
1) Purchase a period journal
If you’re looking to get rid of digital period tracking apps altogether, a physical planner or journal might be the way to go. You can use a desktop or wall calendar, but if something specific for your cycle is more your thing, there’s a wide range of options on Etsy that allow you to find something that works for you while supporting small business and creatives.
2) Make your own period tracking spreadsheet
Set up your own Google Sheets period tracker using this resource from Aliza Aufrichtig. If you don’t want it tied to the cloud, we recommend making an offline version of your spreadsheet to avoid leaving a digital footprint.
3) If you’re really hoping to keep an app (we get it, it’s convenient and familiar), maybe check out Clue…
Read Clue’s full privacy policy here. Be aware, however, that even a well-meaning, data-protecting organization might still be compelled to share information in a court of law.
Clue is an ethics driven, female-led period tracker app based on scientifically tested information. It is available in 15 languages and works to serve a diverse community of users. The founders of Clue self-describe as “femtech” leaders and report that they are trying to change the way people talk about, access, and learn about menstrual health.
If you have another idea or an alternative you’ve found helpful, please share it with us!