Women’s health app Maya sharing users personal data with Facebook

BENGALURU: Women health-focussed app Maya has shared sensitive data about the menstrual, emotional and sexual health of its users with Facebook, according to a report published by advocacy group Privacy International.

Maya, owned by New Delhi-based Sheroes, a women-only community platform, was found to be one of two apps that extensively shared sensitive personal data with third parties, including Facebook. Cyprus-based MIA was the other app.

Privacy International’s traffic analysis revealed that Maya informs Facebook when users open the app and starts sharing data with the social network even before the users agrees to its privacy policy, raising serious transparency concerns.

Like other menstruation apps, Maya gathers data about users’ intimate life — requesting information about when they had sex and whether it was protected, according to the report.