With Roe Gone, Should You Delete Your Period Tracker?

Following the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, consumers raced to switch their period tracking apps in record numbers for increased privacy. Many companies publicly lent their support to people who have periods, ensuring their data would remain safe and not be sold to third parties.

Stardust is one app that did just that. And while the company did make privacy protection claims publicly, Stardust had yet to implement those protections before making the public statement. TechCrunch also discovered that the app had shared users' phone numbers with a third party.

The period tracker app Flo — which owns almost half of the period tracker app market in the US — sent an email to users assuring them their privacy would be protected. The email introduces a new feature to be launched in the coming weeks called Anonymous Mode, which allows users to remove their personal identities, preventing the company from being able to connect data to an individual and therefore unable to satisfy a request should one come through from law enforcement.

"I use Clue, but despite it being outside the country, there is a clause that says they will still turn over data," Vanesa P. told Mom.com. While Clue saw initial installs after Roe v. Wade was overturned, use ultimately declined; the app — which was in the top 15 of installs — dropped to 95th place by the end of the weekend.

So, making the decision to delete your period app isn't so cut and dried. While it may seem logical that deleting period tracker apps could protect your digital data to ensure your personal reproductive health, there are other ways in which your private information could be accessed. Internet search history, text messages, and emails are the low-hanging fruit prosecutors would likely reach for in the event a person seeking an abortion were charged with a crime.

Many Google users receive monthly location history emails highlighting where they’ve been — provided they bring their smartphone with them — and this is just the type of information that could incriminate someone who travels to a state where abortion is legal.

"For me, it's a privacy issue but it sucks because the tracker app gives me an idea when [my period] was supposed to show up since it's erratic," Jen P. told Mom.com. "My app lets you print symptoms to send to a doctor, so now women won't have that tool to catch problems because we're back in hiding."

"I use an app called My Calendar," Jen continued. "I still use it because I figure no one cares about my menopausal weird periods but I'm completely worried about my info and will probably delete the app in a couple of months."

What can you do to protect your digital data?
"If you know that you’re doing something that is risky, just be cautious about how you talk about it on the internet or don’t talk about it on the internet at all," Kat Green of Abortion Access Front told Wired.com. “And If you can avoid being explicit about what you’re asking for and what you’re talking about — it’s better not to text somebody unprotected on SMS and be like, 'how do I get abortion pills?'"

AAF recommends using end-to-end encrypted messaging apps like Signal, which auto-delete your messages, as an added security measure. Subscribing to and using a virtual private network when conducting sensitive internet searches could also provide some measure of privacy. Bear in mind, that these options are not foolproof. Larger corporations offering these services can be subpoenaed and legally required to hand your information to law enforcement.

According to Consumer Reports research on apps evaluated in 2020, most store data in the cloud. At the time, companies could offer no guarantee that users' data wouldn't be shared with third parties. This data is what goes into those targeted ads we receive when searching the internet. It can also be used to determine life insurance rates and even loan interest rates.

Consumer Reports research found that three apps — Drip, Euki, and Periodical — were safe period tracker app options because they store data locally and do not allow for third-party tracking. Consumer Reports created an easy-to-follow infographic depicting the safest options and more details on its findings.

But understandably, some are choosing to err on the side of caution. "Even though I live in Massachusetts, I'm still going to delete all my data and just use a physical calendar at home," Vanesa P. told Mom.com.

For those with periods who have also decided to take their period tracking offline, there are of course old-school calendars and printable period trackers to help. It may also be a good time to get in tune with your menstrual cycle if you aren't already. Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health, by Toni Weschler, is a solid and empowering starting point.