On the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade’s Reversal, a Reminder of Women’s Right to Privacy

By: Sue Khan , VP of Privacy and Data Protection Officer (DPO) at Flo

For many women living in the U.S., today’s anniversary of the reversal of Roe v. Wade is a heavy reminder of how we are still living in a time when personal reproductive freedoms have been stripped away, and many feel even less secure today than they did three years ago when the decision was made.

This ruling, and subsequent legislation and guidance being introduced not just in the U.S., but around the world, to further criminalize abortion has a lot of women feeling [understandably] nervous or anxious about the lengths that could be taken to try and investigate or indict abortions.

As the leading period tracking app, we feel a unique responsibility to remind and reassure our users about our best-in-class privacy and security measures on today’s anniversary. It is unfair and antiquated to suggest that women should have another thing taken from them by making them feel as though they cannot use technology to better understand their periods, health and bodies. 

Three years ago, right after this Supreme Court ruling, Flo accelerated the launch of Anonymous Mode, a first-of-its-kind technology and feature that allows women to use the Flo application without being individually identified. This means that no one - not even Flo - could identify you if pressed. We are the first female health app to take this level of precaution in terms of privacy and security, and we even open-sourced our Anonymous Mode technology to encourage other period tracking or health tech apps to adopt it. This is a critical step forward in giving women control over their digital footprints.

Since this time, Anonymous Mode has won industry awards and received high recognition, including one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2023. We’ve also gone on to become the only women’s health application with dual internationally recognized ISO certifications in both privacy and security.

Lastly, I want to reassure you that Flo has never and will never sell your data. And while we have not, to date, received any requests from authorities or government agencies for user data, we would fight it if we did.

We know the solution is not a return to pen and paper cycle tracking, it’s safe and trusted technologies. Privacy should never be a privilege. It is a right — just like access to reproductive healthcare. As we reflect on this anniversary, let’s remember that support for women means more than words. It means amplifying tools that help women make informed choices without fear of surveillance. 

These times are hard, and uncertain. I am always here to answer questions about Flo’s commitment to privacy, and can be reached at dpo@flo.health. Take care of yourself.