Fitness and health apps may be sharing the most private details about your life

Do you use an app to help you count steps? Or does your company offer an app to monitor your health?

Nearly every facet of our lives can be tracked now, but they can be detrimental to your privacy. Some health apps are reevaluating their relationships with Facebook FB, +1.95% after a Wall Street Journal report revealed they send sensitive personal details to the social media platform without users knowing, underscoring the privacy risks with such apps.

At least four apps the WSJ contacted as part of its reporting cut off transmission of sensitive data to Facebook. “The apps that made the change include Flo Health Inc.’s Flo Period & Ovulation Tracker and Azumio Inc.’s Instant Heart Rate: HR Monitor,” it reported.

“It’s common for developers to share information with a wide range of platforms for advertising and analytics,” a Facebook spokeswoman told MarketWatch. “We require the other app developers to be clear with their users about the information they are sharing with us, and we prohibit app developers from sending us sensitive data.”

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/fitness-and-health-apps-may-be-sharing-the-most-private-details-about-your-life-2019-02-26