New research by academics at Royal Holloway has revealed privacy and advice concerns surrounding technology aimed at helping women navigate the menopause.
The study, which surveyed 310 UK participants, is warning that sensitive data collected from women about their health is often vulnerable to exploitation; ranging from targeted financial scams to workplace discrimination and misinformation.
With nearly one million women in the UK leaving their jobs due to menopausal symptoms, and an estimated 13 million currently perimenopausal or menopausal, new digital technology has boomed, promising to provide medical advice and solutions.
However, the research identified significant security gaps in these technologies, including the lack of medical professionals on community forums, leading to the spread of unverified medical advice and misinformation.
The large-scale study, which is the first of its kind, also highlighted a growing tension between the benefits of menopause tech and the privacy risks associated with the intimate data these services collect.
Unlike fertility trackers, which have faced intense scrutiny following legal changes such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the US, menopause tech remains under-researched and under-regulated.
Dr Maryam Mehrnezhad, from the Information Security Department at Royal Holloway and co-author, said: “Many women are turning to technology to navigate the diagnostic ambiguity of going through the menopause and to combat the long waiting times often associated with traditional healthcare.
“This makes the absence of trained medical professionals on these tech community forums, who can create misinformation, a real serious threat to participants.”
“Users we surveyed also expressed deep fears regarding data use, specifically that intimate health data, including emotional symptoms and sexual activity history, could be accessed by insurance companies or employers.”
“Such data types can be used to discriminate users e.g., in regarding their health insurances and in workplaces.”
Dr Taylor Robinson, co-author and post-doctoral researcher at Royal Holloway, added: “Self-tracking apps are becoming essential tools for personal advocacy, allowing users to document their journeys and foster deeper self-reflection, which ultimately improves their interactions with doctors, but more needs to be done to protect those using the apps.”
As the FemTech industry is projected to reach nearly $30 billion by 2032, the authors argue that developers and policymakers must prioritise privacy to ensure digital tools remain a safe resource for those experiencing the complexities of menopause.
Rebecca Jones and Sophie Hawkes, PhD students and co-authors, added that digital platforms and social media groups provide a vital lifeline by alleviating the isolation often tied to menopause, offering a dedicated space for users to share advice and validate their experiences, and with much more rigorous scrutiny on real healthcare advice, they can be a great asset for many.
This research provides crucial practical data to inform secure, user-centric design for policy makers and menopause tech developers, noting that many current apps and devices fall short of GDPR standards by making privacy notices difficult to access or understand.
