Women who tracked their menstrual cycle using the smartphone app have been warned about the privacy and security risks to do so.

A report from the Minderu Center at the University of Cambridge stated that the apps were “Gold Mine” to collect consumers profiling and information.

Educationists warned that in the wrong hands, data health insurance can pose a risk for “discrimination” and job prospects.

Professor Jina Naf, Executive Director of Minderu Center, said: “Women are better than consuming their menstrual tracking data as consumer data, but there is a different future.”

Apps collect everything about exercise, diet and sexual preferences, hormone levels and use of contraceptives.

An independent team of researchers at the university, Minderu Center for Technology and Democracy, said that this data could give insights into people’s health and their breeding options.

The report said that many women used apps when they were trying to get pregnant.

Researchers stated who is pregnant, and who wants to become, data on “Digital advertising’s most demanded information” was some of the purchasing patterns changed.

He said, “Cycle Tracking Apps (CTA) is an attractive business as they provide the companies behind the application to extremely valuable and finely-touched user data,” he said.

“CTA data is not only commercially valuable and shared with an unwavering mesh of third party (which causes intimate user information to be exploited for targeted advertising), but also causes serious safety risk to users.”

The research team called for better governance of the “Femtech” industry, improving data security of these apps and introduced “meaningful consent options”.

They also wanted bodies such as NHS to launch options for commercial tracking apps with permission for data used in valid medical research.

The main writer of the report, Dr. Stephanie Falsborger said: “Menstrual tracking apps are presented as empowering women and addressing gender health differences.

“Still the business model behind their services rests on commercial use, sells the user data and gives the third party insight.

“The amendment of data collected by Cycle Tracking App Companies resulted in real and frightening privacy and safety risks for women.”

The report stated that the work published by Privacy International has shown that CTA companies had updated their approach to data sharing, but the device information was still collected with “no meaningful consent”.

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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