Jury rules Meta violated California privacy laws by quietly collecting Flo users’ menstrual health data

A jury in California has determined that Meta violated state privacy regulations in a class-action lawsuit filed by users of the period tracking application, Flo. The lawsuit accused the tech giant of gathering sensitive menstrual health information without users' consent and utilizing it for advertising purposes. The plaintiffs, who represent millions of Flo users, claimed that their private health data—including menstrual cycles and fertility objectives—was collected through Flo's app without their approval, thereby breaching the California Invasion of Privacy Act. The lawsuit, initiated in 2021, also included Google and ad analytics firms AppFlyers and Flurry as defendants. Google reached a settlement in July, while Flo settled earlier this month. Michael P. Canty and Carol C. Villegas, the lead attorneys in the case, emphasized the significance of the verdict, stating, "This ruling conveys a strong message regarding the safeguarding of digital health information and the obligations of major tech companies. Firms like Meta that secretly profit from users' most personal data must face repercussions. Today's decision upholds the essential right to privacy, particularly concerning sensitive health information." Meta has expressed disagreement with the jury's decision, asserting that it never engaged in unauthorized data collection from Flo users. A spokesperson for the company stated, "We vehemently disagree with this verdict and are considering all legal avenues. The allegations against Meta are simply untrue. User privacy is paramount to us, which is why we do not seek health or other sensitive data, and our terms prohibit developers from transmitting such information." In a separate development, Flo recently secured $200 million in Series C funding from General Atlantic, propelling its valuation to over $1 billion.