Short answer
It depends on the app. In the US, HIPAA generally does not protect health information you enter into a consumer app for your own use, so your privacy rests on each app's practices and promises. Check where logs are stored, what is encrypted, who data is shared with, and whether you can pause syncing and delete everything.
Key facts
- HIPAA generally does not protect health information on your personal phone or in apps you use for yourself, unless the app comes from a covered entity such as your health plan or provider.[1]
- In 2021, Flo Health settled FTC allegations that it shared users' health data with outside analytics and marketing companies, including Facebook's and Google's analytics divisions, after promising to keep it private.[2]
- The FTC said the Flo app had been used by more than 100 million consumers.[2]
Why doesn't HIPAA cover most period apps?
HIPAA applies to health plans, most health care providers, and the businesses that work for them. HHS says the HIPAA rules generally do not protect the privacy or security of your health information
when it is on your personal phone or tablet, and in most cases they also don't cover data you enter into apps for personal use.[1] That leaves each app's privacy policy, the store privacy disclosures, and consumer-protection law, enforced in the US by the FTC, as the main safeguards.[2]
What should you check before you trust a period app?
| Question | Where to find the answer |
|---|---|
| Where are my logs stored: on my phone, in the cloud, or both? | The privacy policy and the app's settings |
| What is encrypted, and when? | The privacy policy and any privacy or security screen in the app |
| Is data shared with advertisers or analytics companies? | The App Store privacy label and the Google Play Data safety section |
| Do AI features send my questions to a server? | The privacy policy and any AI notice in the app |
| Can I pause syncing, and delete my account and data? | The app's settings and the developer's account-deletion page |
| Can I lock the app? | The app's settings |
Read past the headline promise. In the Flo case, the FTC alleged that the company passed sensitive details, such as the fact that a user was pregnant, to third parties as "app events".[2]
How does Preeo handle your data?
- Your logs are saved on your iPhone and backed up to your account.
- Symptoms, moods, notes and intimacy logs are encrypted on your phone before they're backed up.
- In the Privacy Vault you can pause cloud sync, see network activity, and delete your account.
- You can lock the app with Face ID.
- We never sell your health data or use it for advertising.
The free version of Preeo shows ads, and Preeo Premium is ad-free. For exactly what Preeo collects and processes, including for the optional AI assistant and ads, read the Privacy Policy and the Data Safety summary.
How can you protect your cycle data in any app?
- Turn on the app's lock if it has one, and use a passcode on your phone.
- Limit ad tracking in your phone's privacy settings. On iPhone, look under Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
- Check the privacy label or Data safety section before you sign up, and again after major updates.
- Delete your account and data in apps you no longer use.
How Preeo can help
Preeo gives you controls you can check yourself: pause cloud sync, see network activity and delete your account in the Privacy Vault, and lock the app with Face ID. We never sell your health data or use it for advertising.
Free to download. Preeo Premium is an optional subscription. See all features.
Frequently asked questions
Does Preeo sell my health data?
No. Preeo never sells your health data or uses it for advertising.
Can I stop Preeo from syncing my data to the cloud?
Yes. In the Privacy Vault you can pause cloud sync.
How do I delete my Preeo account and data?
Open the Privacy Vault in the app and delete your account. If you can't open the app, follow the steps on the Preeo Delete Account page.
Is period tracker data protected by HIPAA?
Usually not. HIPAA generally does not cover health data you enter into a consumer app for personal use, unless the app comes from a covered entity such as your health plan or provider.
Related questions
Sources
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Protecting the Privacy and Security of Your Health Information When Using Your Personal Cell Phone or Tablet. www.hhs.gov
- Federal Trade Commission. Developer of Popular Women's Fertility-Tracking App Settles FTC Allegations that It Misled Consumers About the Disclosure of their Health Data (January 13, 2021). www.ftc.gov
This guide was drafted with AI assistance. Each statistic links to the source listed above. Spotted an error? Email support@preeo.app.