JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Although many mobile applications require the input of identifiable information, certain users are at a higher risk when the data collected is not properly stored and secured. With the changes in government, such as the overruling of Roe v. Wade just over a year ago, users in the US, specifically those of reproductive health apps, are susceptible to these risks. Limited studies have analyzed data privacy policies of reproductive health apps and considered the safety concerns associated with lack of user protection.

Objective:

This study aims to analyze the most commonly utilized reproductive health apps and their individual data policies, in addition to the differences between laws governing data in the United States and in the European Union.

Methods:

Four popular reproductive health apps, selected based on their popularity and country of origin, were downloaded for comparison of respective data use, storage, and sharing policies, demographic ratings, and data security measures. The THESIS Evaluation Tool was used to rate the privacy and security of the selected apps. A content analysis of existing data privacy laws was also conducted to determine efficiency of app use and data protection.

Results:

Findings indicated that while the four reproductive health apps have privacy policies intended to provide users with assurance of data security, there are loopholes that endanger their users. These can include collection of identifiable information with and without proper anonymization or encryption, the sharing of this data with analytical and marketing third parties, and the created accessibility of user information upon request from government agencies, whether through the app itself or third-party platforms. Three out of the four apps collect identifiable information, with one limiting data collection the most. Despite the pretense of not sharing data, all four apps do provide data to third parties, whose own privacy policies vary and may not align with data protection protocols.

Conclusions:

Personal data collected by the app, even unidentifiable, may be linked to specific users and shared with third parties. While there are pending laws pertaining to data privacy, responsibilities fall onto the individual apps themselves to ensure their user data safety.