These days women are primarily using period tracking applications to better understand their body and to keep track of when it’s due and make notes of varying PMS symptoms.

Shockingly, period tracking apps are reportedly sharing tons of user personal data including sex life and women’s menstrual cycle to Facebook to benefit its advertisers.

Several period tracking apps have integrated with Facebook's Software Developer Kit (SDK) and are sharing the user's most personal information to the social media giant, its ad network, and third-party analytics companies.  

According to a report on Privacy International, published on Monday in conjunction with BuzzFeed News, five most popular period tracking apps have taken go-ahead measures to safeguard data of users and these apps are not sharing the personal data of the users to Facebook and the vast advertising network.  

The information like if the user had unprotected sex or she is feeling sad or depressed, she’s on medication or if she is trying to get pregnant is being shared with the social media giant and advertising network.

The period tracking apps like MIA Fem by Mobapp Development Limited, Maya by Plackal Tech shared information with the social network.

The apps like My Period Tracker by Linchpin Health, Ovulation Calculator by Pinkbird and Mi Calendario by Grupo Familia, notified the social media giant whenever the user opened the app. Mi Calendario was also using an outdated version of the Facebook SDK, according to Cnet.  

Some of the most popular period-tracking apps like Period Tracker by Leap Fitness Group, Period Tracker Flo by Flo Health, Period Tracker by Simple Design, and Clue Period Tracker by Biowink weren't sharing any data with Facebook.

This strategy is known as psychographic targeting, from which advertisers use the data gained to reach the audience and sway their mind frame. Thus, users need to be extremely cautious before logging in their personal information in any of these applications.

By Sowmya Sangam