HACKER Q&A
📣 krinn_silver

E2E Encrypted Period Trackers?


One sentiment from the recent Roe v Wade decision is that women should be careful about their data as law enforcement could use it to determine if they had an abortion.

Period tracker apps are quite popular, and even a form of contraception [1]. They technically don't need to access the data (although they may wish to for analytics/monetisation), so it seems to me like a perfect candidate for E2E encryption. But I can't find any that advertise they use E2E encryption (just a vague "we encrypt your data" in their privacy statement).

Is anyone working on this?

[1]: https://www.naturalcycles.com

Disclaimer: I'm a man, and I don't live in the US. My wife and I are just concerned onlookers.

  👤 amluto Accepted Answer ✓
If Apple cared more about privacy, they could address this with a category of enforced local-only apps. A local-only app would not be able to access the network or interact with other apps. It’s data could be backed up and synced via iCloud but not by any other means.

Side channels aside, this would avoid data leaks.

👤 giaour
I would only look for E2E encryption in such an app if its data were synchronized across multiple devices. Otherwise, there should be no E2E communication from the app at all, encrypted or not. Cycle tracking should be able to work with local data.
👤 jacob019
Why would such an app need to go online at all? Maybe you can find an open source option on f-droid.
👤 0ccupied
The Cycle Tracking app built into iOS’s Health app is E2EE.
👤 dexwiz
Period tracker apps are already shady, most sell data. Future mothers buy a ton of stuff, and it’s very valuable to know when to time ads for these people.
👤 nickphx
Why add to the noise of apps and add to the possible confusion when a simple paper calendar would work?
👤 2OEH8eoCRo0
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/get-care/spot-on-period-tr...
👤 rozenmd
This might be of interest: https://bloodyhealth.gitlab.io/
👤 RedComet
Where do you live, might I ask?
👤 nikolqy
Thinking the people who support abortion are on your side is the issue. The people supporting abortion are the same people who make period tracker apps and the same people that run the companies that buy that data. Think about it.