Short Wave When Tracking Your Period Lets Companies Track You
Jan 18, 2022
Health apps offer convenience but come with hidden dangers. The podcast unpacks how period tracking apps can compromise user privacy by selling sensitive data to third parties. It dives into the implications of surveillance capitalism, especially regarding the data of pregnant women. As users track their cycles, many remain unaware of how their health information is commodified. The hosts stress the necessity for greater awareness and regulatory safeguards to protect personal health data in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
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Early Period Tracking
- Emily Kwong started tracking her period on a physical calendar, marking heavier days with bigger dots.
- Her mom taught her this method and gave her an illustrative book about womanhood.
Planner Tracking
- Andrea Ford also learned period tracking from her mother, using red lines in a physical planner during high school.
- This highlights a generational passing down of period tracking methods before apps.
From Diary to App
- Giulia De Togni initially struggled with period tracking using a physical diary.
- She switched to period tracking apps in 2015 for better scheduling and body awareness.