Communications of the ACM
Fertility Apps Collect, Share Intimate Data Without Users' Knowledge or Permission
A collaborative study by Newcastle University and Umea University found the majority of top-rated fertility apps collect and even share intimate data without the users' knowledge or permission.
Credit: madeformums.com
A study by researchers at Newcastle University in the U.K. and Sweden's Umea University found that many top-rated fertility apps collect and share personal information without the knowledge or permission of users.
The researchers studied the privacy notices and tracking practices of 30 free fertility apps chosen from the top search results in the Google Play Store.
They determined that the privacy notices and tracking practices of the majority of these apps do not comply with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation.
The researchers also found that regardless of whether the user engages with the apps' privacy notices, an average of 3.8 trackers were activated as soon the apps were installed and opened.
The researchers believe more adequate lawful and ethical processes are needed to handle such data.
From News-Medical Life Sciences
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Abstracts Copyright © 2021 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA
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