Period tracking app Stardust shares sensitive user data with third parties, report finds

Period tracking app Stardust has been found to be sharing sensitive user health information with a third-party analytics company, according to new research by Mozilla. The app, which claims user data is private, was discovered to be transmitting details such as birthdate, reproductive goals, and specific symptoms to RudderStack, according to a recent report by TechCrunch.

Mozilla's investigation revealed that Stardust shared user data, linked to a unique identifier instead of a name, with RudderStack. This practice, even with contractual prohibitions against selling or using the data, carries inherent risks, including potential security breaches or demands from law enforcement. The Federal Trade Commission has previously warned that such data is not truly anonymous. This finding contradicts Stardust's previous claims of end-to-end encryption.

While other period tracking apps were also examined, Stardust was the only one found to be sharing sensitive health data with external companies. Mozilla recommended Euki as a privacy-focused alternative, noting that its core features do not share user data with third parties and health information remains on the user's device.

Source: TechCrunch