Mozilla Flags Stardust for Sharing Period-App Health Data as Euki Emerges Only Unreserved Pick
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 16
Mozilla Flags Stardust for Sharing Period-App Health Data as Euki Emerges Only Unreserved Pick
1 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 16
Summary
Mozilla said Stardust was the only one of six period trackers it tested that shared detailed reproductive health data with another company, sending information such as pregnancy status, birth control and symptoms to RudderStack.
The report said several apps also sent identifiers or usage data to ad and analytics platforms including Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and InMobi, exposing users to tracking even when health details were not shared.
Euki was Mozilla’s only recommendation without reservations because it stores health data only on the device, requires no account and includes a decoy mode for users facing phone searches.
Flo and Clue scored relatively well for transparency and controls, but Mozilla said their cloud storage of health data still creates breach or legal-request risks; both companies said safeguards are in place.
The findings land amid heightened US privacy fears after the 2022 end of federal abortion protections, when reproductive-health app data became a bigger concern for law-enforcement access.
With new US privacy laws on the table, will your sensitive health data finally be safe from third-party sharing?
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Reproductive Health App Privacy in the Post-Roe Era: Legal Gaps, Data Risks, and the Case for User Control
Overview
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, privacy concerns around reproductive health apps quickly intensified. The leaked draft of the ruling in May had already drawn public attention to the sensitive data collected by period and pregnancy tracking apps. As the legal landscape changed, this information became a potential liability, especially in states with abortion restrictions. People realized their personal health data could be used in legal cases, sparking a wave of privacy advocacy and user response. This shift highlighted the urgent need for stronger protections and greater awareness about digital health privacy.