This talk was recorded at NDC Manchester in Manchester, England. 
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Femtech apps are changing the way millions of women track their reproductive health. But beneath these friendly and helpful interfaces lies a complex and often opaque system of data practices. This talk explores the privacy concerns surrounding femtech apps, examining how they collect, store, and at times misuse deeply personal health information. Many of these tools operate outside the scope of medical device regulation and exploit loopholes in data governance, while positioning themselves as harmless lifestyle products.
From a cybersecurity standpoint, the talk examines technical vulnerabilities and regulatory blind spots that make femtech uniquely exposed. It argues for a socio-technical threat model; one that accounts for sensitivity of reproductive health data. Finally, this talk challenges complacency, invites critical conversation, and calls for design and policy changes that return control of intimate data to the user.

NDC Conferences

Femtech apps (period trackers, fertility apps) collect highly intimate health data but lack adequate privacy protections. These apps use manipulative consent mechanisms, share data with third parties despite vague privacy policies, and often avoid medical device regulations by labeling themselves as "wellness" tools. Data anonymization is insufficient, and breaches can lead to workplace discrimination, legal consequences in restrictive jurisdictions, and stalking risks. Solutions include on-device processing, differential privacy, end-to-end encryption, and stronger regulations. Users should disable tracking, choose privacy-first apps, and exercise GDPR rights to delete data.

Beyond the Pink: Data Risks in Femtech You Can’t Ignore - Arohi Naik - NDC Manchester 2025