Threat Source newsletter (Sept. 29, 2022) — Personal health apps are currently under a spotlight, but their warning signs have always been there
Summary: Cisco Talos researchers reviewing personal health app privacy policies found apps carrying sensitive information stating they would share certain data with third-party advertisers and law enforcement agencies if necessary, including the popular Period Calendar Period Tracker. A Washington Post report also found that app and sites like WebMD gave advertisers the information needed to market to people based on their health concerns, while a 2018 Privacy International study found 61 percent of tested apps began sharing data with Facebook the instant a user opened the app.
What you should know: The Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling is highlighting how personal data stored on apps could lead to legal consequences, and the FTC already filed a complaint against the Flo period-tracking app in January 2021 for misleading users about who it sends personal information to.
Read the original at Cisco Talos ↗
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