Zuckerberg and Co Already Know You Got Your Period — But Why Should We Care?
Digital and bodily autonomy are more related than we think
It’s no secret that the objective of many period-tracking apps goes far beyond that of tracking periods.
After all, monitoring menstrual cycles and other health-related metrics like fitness, nutrition, or sleep has proven to be quite lucrative for developers. Because they can pass on the details collected via their app to third-party companies, like Facebook, Google and Amazon.
And they often do.
So if you’ve ever used one of those apps, chances are Zuckerberg and Co know when you’re on your period. Or when you’re ovulating. Or when you had protected or unprotected sex.
How lovely.
But in light of the reported decision of the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, that practice obviously raises many concerns. And some digital experts and activists are already calling for people to delete these period-tracking apps amid fears that the data they collect — and subsequently share — could be used to target and punish women seeking an abortion.
Could that actually happen?
