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Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

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Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#151

Post by pickledoyster »

NoTranslationL wrote: post #23

If anyone is interested in a privacy focused tracking app that stores all your data locally, I make an app called Reflect [0] whose sole purpose is this, plus on-device analysis. We’re working on a menstrual tracking feature right now and it’s pretty far along. We’ve just released an anomaly detection feature as well. [0] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reflect-track-anything/id64638...

The report in the OP raises valid concerns about SDKs from third parties, including Google and Facebook. Your own site showcases the Reflect SDK which is, I quote:

> The Reflect SDK is the iOS framework that powers the Reflect – Track Anything app and is designed to help you: > > Create forms to track customer product usage and experience > Collect customer biometric data [...]

Source: https://ntl.ai/products/

Let's just say I'm skeptical about your claims.

Edit: provided a more extensive quote and link to source.

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#152

Post by josephg »

1718627440 wrote: post #91
xenator wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Still data can be uploaded to the cloud and will be available to cloud providers. So there is more vectors to protect user data.

> no access to network ?

I wish this were a capability you could (as a user) grant or reject at will. But there’s a UI problem: people are sick of clicking accept on a million dialog boxes already.

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#153

Post by duxup »

rustcleaner wrote: post #142

Probably the best one-liner fix in law I can think of, is to make it a imprisonable felony to give money to someone or an organization for the purpose of speaking a particular message as their own, and accepting money in exchange for speaking a message as your own. Basically ban advertising, or at least make each commercial basically say "General Motors has paid us to tell you that ... ... ..." instead of the sexy se…

>"General Motors has paid us to tell you that ... ... ..."

Are we under the impression that people don't know that?

I think most people know what advertising is. I don't think that would change anything.

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#154

Post by msdrider »

scblock wrote: post #100
nlitened wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Then you haven't tried looking. Women are being arrested and even convicted for having miscarriages, including in the US. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59214544 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/georgia-arrest-miscarri... https://churchandstate.org.uk/2015/01/conservative-dream-com... https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/06/health/miscarriage-criminal-c... https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/04/02/law-pregna…

You should clarify that these are women who deliberately induce a miscarriage (ie. a home abortion) or whose extraordinarily reckless and dangerous behaviours result in a miscarriage that may or may not have been deliberately induced, but either way are unconscionable and directly responsible for the child's death. You don't do your cause any favours when you present these cases as "miscarriages", knowing full well that many people perceive this as the unfortunate loss of a child by a conscientious and responsible expectant mother.

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#155

Post by testing22321 »

isodev wrote: post #77
testing22321 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s always worth pointing out there are many billions of people who live completely free of this fear of reprisals from the state/country they live in

True, but for many, even “local only” apps store their data on devices managed by US-based companies. Would Apple sell your data to advertisers? - probably not. Would Apple share your data with law enforcement? - of course, and they don’t even need to tell you.

Law enforcement in developed countries don’t care about that information. The right to abortion is part of society, and strongly held.

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#156

Post by rustcleaner »

duxup wrote: post #153
rustcleaner wrote: post #142

Probably the best one-liner fix in law I can think of, is to make it a imprisonable felony to give money to someone or an organization for the purpose of speaking a particular message as their own, and accepting money in exchange for speaking a message as your own. Basically ban advertising, or at least make each commercial basically say "General Motors has paid us to tell you that ... ... ..." instead of the sexy se…

>"General Motors has paid us to tell you that ... ... ..." Are we under the impression that people don't know that? I think most people know what advertising is. I don't think that would change anything.

Very basic example nobody argues with. Did you know your local news station gets some stories to present as their own and they are paid to present them? You may, but many might find that to be a shocking revelation. I was maintaining cognitive accessibility in that example.

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#157

Post by duxup »

The article doesn't define what exactly they mean by "risks women safety".

I don't buy into the idea that all or any advertising is a "safety" issue if that is where they're going. I think there's a very weird type of patronizing that goes on where suddenly we fear for everyone's ability to deal with advertising as if they've got no self control or agency ...

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#158

Post by duxup »

rustcleaner wrote: post #156
duxup wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>"General Motors has paid us to tell you that ... ... ..." Are we under the impression that people don't know that? I think most people know what advertising is. I don't think that would change anything.

Very basic example nobody argues with. Did you know your local news station gets some stories to present as their own and they are paid to present them? You may, but many might find that to be a shocking revelation. I was maintaining cognitive accessibility in that example.

I don't think the news thing would surprise anyone either.

I think there's a weirdly patronizing approach that blames so much on advertising, and if by chance if folks got their way they'd be astonished to find that people make bad choices all on their own, and they know they do ...

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#159

Post by greenavocado »

rustcleaner wrote: post #142

Probably the best one-liner fix in law I can think of, is to make it a imprisonable felony to give money to someone or an organization for the purpose of speaking a particular message as their own, and accepting money in exchange for speaking a message as your own. Basically ban advertising, or at least make each commercial basically say "General Motors has paid us to tell you that ... ... ..." instead of the sexy se…

I regret to inform you that the inmates run the asylum, so your proposal will go nowhere. Banning ads? Making Google confess 'We were paid to say this'? Forcing Burger King to admit they're tricking you into midnight cravings? Politicians funded by ads would outlaw that idea faster than you can say 'campaign donation'. Your felony-for-persuasion is bold. It's also delusional.

Re: Menstrual tracking app data is gold mine for advertisers that risks women safety

#160

Post by mouse_ »

rustcleaner wrote: post #142

Probably the best one-liner fix in law I can think of, is to make it a imprisonable felony to give money to someone or an organization for the purpose of speaking a particular message as their own, and accepting money in exchange for speaking a message as your own. Basically ban advertising, or at least make each commercial basically say "General Motors has paid us to tell you that ... ... ..." instead of the sexy se…

the chickens wish to be treated nicer by the factory farm infrastructure

the factory farm infrastructure does not notice; it cannot notice

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