Lawsuit: Fertility App Maker Sent Data to Google, Facebook

Cybersecurity and privacy attorney Ashley Thomas spoke with GovInfoSecurity.com about a proposed class action lawsuit alleging that Flo Health, a fertility-tracking app maker, unlawfully shared sensitive user data with Google, Facebook and other vendors. The suit comes less than two months after Flo Health finalized a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, also related to Flo Health sharing sensitive user health data with marketing and analytics firms despite telling users this information would remain private. Ms. Thomas commented the cases underscore the need for digital health companies to be transparent about their privacy practices and take steps to better understand who may be accessing their data.

"They need to do what they are actually saying they do in public privacy notices," she said. "[Providers need to] assess and map the data they are collecting and understand where they are sharing that information. Some digital health providers need to better recognize the various touchpoints by which they may be disclosing personal information."

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