Meta found guilty for collecting period-tracking data of millions of women
A California jury has found Meta guilty of violating privacy laws by collecting sensitive menstrual and fertility data from millions of Flo app users without consent.
- Aug 6, 2025,
- Updated Aug 6, 2025 5:56 PM IST
In a significant privacy ruling, Meta was found guilty of collecting sensitive menstrual and fertility data from Flo users without their knowledge or consent. The verdict applies to a class-action lawsuit filed in 2021, representing over 3.7 million US users who registered with the app between November 2016 and February 2019.
The lawsuit revealed that Meta’s software development kit (SDK), built into the Flo app, sent “App Event” data back to Facebook whenever users engaged with specific features, particularly those related to fertility, like the “trying to get pregnant” section. That data included period dates, sexual activity, mental health notes, and more.
While Meta maintained that it never accessed personal health information and prohibits developers from sending such data, the jury found otherwise.
“This verdict sends a clear message about the protection of digital health data and the responsibilities of Big Tech,” said Michael P. Canty and Carol C. Villegas, the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. “Companies like Meta that covertly profit from users’ most intimate information must be held accountable.”
Other companies named in the lawsuit, including Google, Flo itself, and analytics firms like AppsFlyer and Flurry, settled out of court. Meta was the only defendant to contest the case at trial.
In response to the ruling, a Meta spokesperson said: “We vigorously disagree with this outcome and are exploring all legal options. The plaintiffs’ claims against Meta are simply false. User privacy is important to Meta, which is why we do not want health or other sensitive information, and why our terms prohibit developers from sending any.”
Users affected by the case will be contacted via email or through the lawsuit’s official website, although any compensation or next steps have yet to be finalised.
The case has drawn wider attention to how digital health data, often seen as private, is used by tech platforms. While period-tracking apps have become part of everyday life for millions, the ruling raises urgent questions about transparency, consent, and who really controls users’ most personal information.
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In a significant privacy ruling, Meta was found guilty of collecting sensitive menstrual and fertility data from Flo users without their knowledge or consent. The verdict applies to a class-action lawsuit filed in 2021, representing over 3.7 million US users who registered with the app between November 2016 and February 2019.
The lawsuit revealed that Meta’s software development kit (SDK), built into the Flo app, sent “App Event” data back to Facebook whenever users engaged with specific features, particularly those related to fertility, like the “trying to get pregnant” section. That data included period dates, sexual activity, mental health notes, and more.
While Meta maintained that it never accessed personal health information and prohibits developers from sending such data, the jury found otherwise.
“This verdict sends a clear message about the protection of digital health data and the responsibilities of Big Tech,” said Michael P. Canty and Carol C. Villegas, the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs. “Companies like Meta that covertly profit from users’ most intimate information must be held accountable.”
Other companies named in the lawsuit, including Google, Flo itself, and analytics firms like AppsFlyer and Flurry, settled out of court. Meta was the only defendant to contest the case at trial.
In response to the ruling, a Meta spokesperson said: “We vigorously disagree with this outcome and are exploring all legal options. The plaintiffs’ claims against Meta are simply false. User privacy is important to Meta, which is why we do not want health or other sensitive information, and why our terms prohibit developers from sending any.”
Users affected by the case will be contacted via email or through the lawsuit’s official website, although any compensation or next steps have yet to be finalised.
The case has drawn wider attention to how digital health data, often seen as private, is used by tech platforms. While period-tracking apps have become part of everyday life for millions, the ruling raises urgent questions about transparency, consent, and who really controls users’ most personal information.
For Unparalleled coverage of India's Businesses and Economy – Subscribe to Business Today Magazine