Latest news with #MinderooCentreforTechnologyandDemocracy
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Experts warn of 'frightening' risks linked to period tracker apps
Women face 'real and frightening privacy and safety risks' when using period tracker apps, experts have warned. Academics from the University of Cambridge said that personal information in the app can be collected and 'sold at scale'. A new report from experts at Cambridge's Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy said that this 'poses risks and harms for users'. Researchers said that menstrual data can provide insights into people's health and their reproductive choices. These apps can collect information on exercise, diet, medication, sexual preferences, hormone levels and contraception use, they added. This information can be a 'gold mine' for consumer profiling, the authors of the new report said. Many women who download the apps do so when they are trying to get pregnant, which the authors point out leads to a dramatic shift in shopping behaviour. 'Data on who is pregnant, and who wants to be, has therefore emerged as some of the most sought-after information in digital advertising,' they said. The point out how period tracking apps have rapidly risen in popularity, with global downloads of the three most popular apps surpassing 250 million. 'Cycle tracking apps (CTA) are a lucrative business because they provide the companies behind the apps with access to extremely valuable and fine-grained user data,' the experts wrote in their new report. 'CTA data is not only commercially valuable and shared with an inextricable net if third parties (thereby making intimate user information exploitable for targeted advertising), but it also poses severe security risks for users.' They point out that in the wrong hands, the data collected by the apps could result in health insurance 'discrimination'; risks to job prospects or even domestic abuse. The research team called for better governance of the 'femtech' industry, including improved data security of these apps and for them to introduce 'meaningful consent options'. They also called for public health bodies to launch alternatives to commercial tracking apps. 'Menstrual cycle tracking apps are presented as empowering women and addressing the gender health gap,' said Dr Stefanie Felsberger, lead author of the report. 'Yet the business model behind their services rests on commercial use, selling user data and insights to third parties for profit.' 'There are real and frightening privacy and safety risks to women as a result of the commodification of the data collected by cycle tracking app companies.' Professor Gina Neff, executive director of Cambridge's Minderoo Centre, added: 'The use of cycle tracking apps is at an all-time high. 'Women deserve better than to have their menstrual tracking data treated as consumer data, but there is a different possible future.'
Evening Standard
11-06-2025
- Science
- Evening Standard
Women face ‘frightening privacy and safety risks' from period tracker apps ...Tech & Science Daily podcast
Dr Stefanie Felsberger from Cambridge's Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy, alongside her team at the University of Cambridge, are calling for better regulation in FemTech.
Wales Online
11-06-2025
- Health
- Wales Online
Warning over 'real and frightening risk' of period tracker apps
Warning over 'real and frightening risk' of period tracker apps Three apps alone have been downloaded 250million times These apps can collect information on exercise, diet, medication, sexual preferences, hormone levels and contraception use Women face 'real and frightening privacy and safety risks' when using period tracker apps, experts have warned. Academics from the University of Cambridge said that personal information in the app can be collected and 'sold at scale'. A new report from experts at Cambridge's Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy said that this 'poses risks and harms for users'. Researchers said that menstrual data can provide insights into people's health and their reproductive choices. These apps can collect information on exercise, diet, medication, sexual preferences, hormone levels and contraception use, they added. This information can be a 'gold mine' for consumer profiling, the authors of the new report said. Many women who download the apps do so when they are trying to get pregnant, which the authors point out leads to a dramatic shift in shopping behaviour. 'Data on who is pregnant, and who wants to be, has therefore emerged as some of the most sought-after information in digital advertising,' they said. The point out how period tracking apps have rapidly risen in popularity, with global downloads of the three most popular apps surpassing 250 million. 'Cycle tracking apps (CTA) are a lucrative business because they provide the companies behind the apps with access to extremely valuable and fine-grained user data,' the experts wrote in their new report. Article continues below 'CTA data is not only commercially valuable and shared with an inextricable net if third parties (thereby making intimate user information exploitable for targeted advertising), but it also poses severe security risks for users.' They point out that in the wrong hands, the data collected by the apps could result in health insurance 'discrimination'; risks to job prospects or even domestic abuse. The research team called for better governance of the 'femtech' industry, including improved data security of these apps and for them to introduce 'meaningful consent options'. They also called for public health bodies to launch alternatives to commercial tracking apps. 'Menstrual cycle tracking apps are presented as empowering women and addressing the gender health gap,' said Dr Stefanie Felsberger, lead author of the report. Article continues below 'Yet the business model behind their services rests on commercial use, selling user data and insights to third parties for profit.' 'There are real and frightening privacy and safety risks to women as a result of the commodification of the data collected by cycle tracking app companies.' Professor Gina Neff, executive director of Cambridge's Minderoo Centre, added: 'The use of cycle tracking apps is at an all-time high. Women deserve better than to have their menstrual tracking data treated as consumer data, but there is a different possible future.'
Powys County Times
11-06-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Experts warn of risks linked to period tracker apps
Women face 'real and frightening privacy and safety risks' when using period tracker apps, experts have warned. Academics from the University of Cambridge said that personal information in the app can be collected and 'sold at scale'. A new report from experts at Cambridge's Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy said that this 'poses risks and harms for users'. Researchers said that menstrual data can provide insights into people's health and their reproductive choices. These apps can collect information on exercise, diet, medication, sexual preferences, hormone levels and contraception use, they added. This information can be a 'gold mine' for consumer profiling, the authors of the new report said. Many women who download the apps do so when they are trying to get pregnant, which the authors point out leads to a dramatic shift in shopping behaviour. 'Data on who is pregnant, and who wants to be, has therefore emerged as some of the most sought-after information in digital advertising,' they said. The point out how period tracking apps have rapidly risen in popularity, with global downloads of the three most popular apps surpassing 250 million. 'Cycle tracking apps (CTA) are a lucrative business because they provide the companies behind the apps with access to extremely valuable and fine-grained user data,' the experts wrote in their new report. 'CTA data is not only commercially valuable and shared with an inextricable net if third parties (thereby making intimate user information exploitable for targeted advertising), but it also poses severe security risks for users.' They point out that in the wrong hands, the data collected by the apps could result in health insurance 'discrimination'; risks to job prospects or even domestic abuse. The research team called for better governance of the 'femtech' industry, including improved data security of these apps and for them to introduce 'meaningful consent options'. They also called for public health bodies to launch alternatives to commercial tracking apps. 'Menstrual cycle tracking apps are presented as empowering women and addressing the gender health gap,' said Dr Stefanie Felsberger, lead author of the report. 'Yet the business model behind their services rests on commercial use, selling user data and insights to third parties for profit.' 'There are real and frightening privacy and safety risks to women as a result of the commodification of the data collected by cycle tracking app companies.' Professor Gina Neff, executive director of Cambridge's Minderoo Centre, added: 'The use of cycle tracking apps is at an all-time high. 'Women deserve better than to have their menstrual tracking data treated as consumer data, but there is a different possible future.'
The Guardian
11-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Britain needs to protect citizens' rights in the race for AI
As global leaders meet at the AI summit in Paris, we are calling on the UK government to urgently develop and adopt a citizen-led UK declaration of digital rights and principles (AI race must be led by 'western, liberal, democratic' countries, says UK minister, 10 February). We agree with the science, innovation and technology secretary, Peter Kyle, when he says: 'Government does have agency in how technology is developed … We need to use that agency to reinforce our democratic principles, our liberal values and our democratic way of life.' We welcome the government's approach to unlocking the economic benefits of AI through the recent AI opportunities plan, but we also need to ensure that our rights and freedoms as UK citizens are protected in digital spaces. In the past two years, countries around the globe have adopted frameworks of digital rights. We must not be left behind. We are asking the government to: Invite the public to have their say in a deliberative process that will shape the declaration. Establish a national digital rights network, including the diversity of civil society; legal experts and academics; tech companies and industry representative bodies, to guide the declaration's development and ensure policy reflects the values of UK citizens. Adopt the declaration and integrate digital rights into future policy decisions. The declaration would not be legally binding, but would provide cohesive and foundational principles to guide policymaking. By developing this, the UK can build trust in our emerging digital policies and help responsible innovation to drive growth that benefits us all. Polly Curtis CEO, Demos; Prof Robert Trager Co-director, Oxford Martin School AI governance initiative; Prof Gina Neff Executive director, Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy, University of Cambridge; Maeve Walsh Director, Online Safety Act Network; Jim Killock Executive director, Open Rights Group; Dr Jeni Tennison Executive director, Connected by Data Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
