5 ms·

"doesn't really strike me as that privacy-invading, given the nature of the app" "the privacy implications get worse if the data is sold to third parties" Are

"doesn't really strike me as that privacy-invading, given the nature of the app" "the privacy implications get worse if the data is sold to third parties" Aren't these two statements in direct conflict with one another?

darawk 8y ago
Maybe indirect. They may not currently be selling that data.
jawns 8y ago
A third party doesn't need to know who you are to advertise to you. If I'm an app user, and I see an ad targeted to people who are toward the end of their cycle, then the only thing the third party knows about me is that I'm toward the end of my cycle. They don't know my name or address or other PII simply by virtue of advertising to me. But if an app sells this data to a third party and includes PII that allows the third party to make observations such as, "Jane Doe did X on date Y," then that's certainly a privacy concern.
- x220 8y ago
  So if one company has that information it's OK, but once two companies have it it's a privacy concern?
  - MSM 8y ago
    The application is specifically meant to track this information, so to me that's cost of doing business. If they sell it to other people without consent, that's an issue. It would be like if I went into H&R Block to get my taxes done. Should I be worried that they have my SSN and earnings? No, because they need that information to do the task that I'm asking of them. If they sell that to other places yes, that's a huge issue.
    - x220 8y ago
      >The application is specifically meant to track this information So a privacy risk is the cost of doing business. Knowing about it upfront and consenting to the data collection doesn't negate that. If H&R block stores all of the data you give them forever, that's a privacy concern because they could be hacked or they could (depending on relevant laws) change their mind and decide to share or sell some of that data in the future.
      - MSM 8y ago
        Ideally if they have that information and it's released (either via hacking or sold without consent) the company could be sued. Unfortunately that's not the case today. You're arguing that anyone knowing anything is a privacy concern which is over the top in my eyes. You could never use a bank, file taxes, get a paycheck, hell you couldn't even ever get a job with it being a "risk" because your employer has a ton of info on you.
    - flukus 8y ago
      > The application is specifically meant to track this information, so to me that's cost of doing business. Being male I'm not familiar with the features offered by period trackers, but is there any valid reason the information has to leave your device at all?
x220 8y ago
It looks like the company itself targets the ads, rather than selling the data to another company to target the ads. This shouldn't actually matter. Why do you care if your private information is in the hands of company A or company B?
- naniwaduni 8y ago
  Often people find it different when one party has the data, and has a decent track record of not broadcasting it to the world, and when the data is widely circulated. I know around here we like to assume that all data is going to suffer a security breach someday but-- - In practice, everyone has more than two levels of trust. - Someday isn't today.
  - x220 8y ago
    >In practice, everyone has more than two levels of trust. That is true, but that doesn't mean that two levels of trust is not a privacy concern merely because everyone does it. >Someday isn't today I felt appalled after reading this. If you genuinely hold that belief, I hope your circumstances are merciful towards you.
    - naniwaduni 8y ago
      > That is true, but that doesn't mean that two levels of trust is not a privacy concern merely because everyone does it. I feel appalled after reading this. If you genuinely hold that belief, I hope your circumstances are merciful towards you.
- scarejunba 8y ago
  Because if I can say "you may use information I give you in the app to show me ads without disclosing who I am and any of my PHI" then there's a bright line. I only need to worry about company A mishandling the data. If I allow selling, I need to know about the myriad companies that A may deal with, not just B. I have no problem sharing information for services. I just want to have controls on that.

darawk 8y ago

Maybe indirect. They may not currently be selling that data.

jawns 8y ago

A third party doesn't need to know who you are to advertise to you. If I'm an app user, and I see an ad targeted to people who are toward the end of their cycle, then the only thing the third party knows about me is that I'm toward the end of my cycle. They don't know my name or address or other PII simply by virtue of advertising to me. But if an app sells this data to a third party and includes PII that allows the third party to make observations such as, "Jane Doe did X on date Y," then that's certainly a privacy concern.

x220 8y ago
So if one company has that information it's OK, but once two companies have it it's a privacy concern?
- MSM 8y ago
  The application is specifically meant to track this information, so to me that's cost of doing business. If they sell it to other people without consent, that's an issue. It would be like if I went into H&R Block to get my taxes done. Should I be worried that they have my SSN and earnings? No, because they need that information to do the task that I'm asking of them. If they sell that to other places yes, that's a huge issue.
  - x220 8y ago
    >The application is specifically meant to track this information So a privacy risk is the cost of doing business. Knowing about it upfront and consenting to the data collection doesn't negate that. If H&R block stores all of the data you give them forever, that's a privacy concern because they could be hacked or they could (depending on relevant laws) change their mind and decide to share or sell some of that data in the future.
    - MSM 8y ago
      Ideally if they have that information and it's released (either via hacking or sold without consent) the company could be sued. Unfortunately that's not the case today. You're arguing that anyone knowing anything is a privacy concern which is over the top in my eyes. You could never use a bank, file taxes, get a paycheck, hell you couldn't even ever get a job with it being a "risk" because your employer has a ton of info on you.
  - flukus 8y ago
    > The application is specifically meant to track this information, so to me that's cost of doing business. Being male I'm not familiar with the features offered by period trackers, but is there any valid reason the information has to leave your device at all?

x220 8y ago

It looks like the company itself targets the ads, rather than selling the data to another company to target the ads. This shouldn't actually matter. Why do you care if your private information is in the hands of company A or company B?

naniwaduni 8y ago
Often people find it different when one party has the data, and has a decent track record of not broadcasting it to the world, and when the data is widely circulated. I know around here we like to assume that all data is going to suffer a security breach someday but-- - In practice, everyone has more than two levels of trust. - Someday isn't today.
- x220 8y ago
  >In practice, everyone has more than two levels of trust. That is true, but that doesn't mean that two levels of trust is not a privacy concern merely because everyone does it. >Someday isn't today I felt appalled after reading this. If you genuinely hold that belief, I hope your circumstances are merciful towards you.
  - naniwaduni 8y ago
    > That is true, but that doesn't mean that two levels of trust is not a privacy concern merely because everyone does it. I feel appalled after reading this. If you genuinely hold that belief, I hope your circumstances are merciful towards you.
scarejunba 8y ago
Because if I can say "you may use information I give you in the app to show me ads without disclosing who I am and any of my PHI" then there's a bright line. I only need to worry about company A mishandling the data. If I allow selling, I need to know about the myriad companies that A may deal with, not just B. I have no problem sharing information for services. I just want to have controls on that.