These popular period-tracking apps were caught sharing sensitive data to Facebook

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Even your most private goings-on aren’t private, apparently. An investigation by Privacy International found that period-tracking apps with millions of total downloads were sharing all the intimate details of the women that use their apps with Facebook.

These popular period-tracking apps think Facebook needs to know when you last had sex

Some of the most heavily-used period-tracking apps have been reporting everything women entered to Facebook, all in the name of advertising. All of this despite Facebook prohibiting the upload of this type of sensitive information in its terms and conditions (probably more proof that nobody reads those things).

The two offending apps are Maya and MIA Fem. Here’s what to know:

• Things like use of contraception, timing of their monthly periods, symptoms like swelling and cramps, and more, were all sent to Facebook
• Maya and MIA Fem, shared details as personal as when users last had sex
• The data sharing is facilitated by Facebook’s Software Development Kit (SDK), which basically lets app developers send data to Facebook so the users can be targeted by advertising
• According to BuzzFeed News, Facebook has contacted the app developers in question, as this kind of sensitive information is prohibited by its terms of services for the SDK

This behavior is worrying, as your most private of information could be uploaded to third parties, just by you consenting to using the app at first launch. Privacy policies are no help either, with most being poorly written, deliberately obfuscating, or simply just not there.

Surprised by this news? Did you use one of these apps? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• A bunch of US states are teaming up to take on Facebook and Google in antitrust investigations
• PSA: Your Instagram followers can share your private videos and photos using a desktop browser
• There’s been another Facebook data breach involving phone numbers – 419M+ users affected
• Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro introduces new camera technology and native video editing tools

Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.