Some people are deleting period tracker apps in case Roe v Wade overturned

Many women in the United States have deleted their period-tracking apps amid fears over this week's devastating Roe v. Wade news.

On Monday, a draft majority opinion was leaked, which stated that the US Supreme Court had voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. This historic landmark 1973 bill ensured that women had the right to an abortion up until fetal viability.

The horrifying news has sparked fear among women, with many worried about the way they are tracking their periods, miscarriages and terminations over fear that it could in turn be shared with the authorities and used against them.

One viral thread highlighted why this could be an issue and urged everyone to delete these apps.

Twitter user @ECMcLaughlin wrote, "If you are using an online period tracker or tracking your cycles through your phone, get off it and delete your data. Now."

"Let me make something very clear to everyone in the retweets wondering why. Peter Thiel has already sold data tracking the locations of marginalized people to the government," her thread continued.

"If you think that your data showing when you last menstruated isn't of interest to those who are about to outlaw abortion, whew do I have a wakeup call for YOU."

She went on, "Combine that with location tracking information and when you last menstruated and where you are seeking healthcare and you have a target on your back."

In her thread, she also referenced and shared an article from The New York Times that explained how the data from these apps can be linked right back to Facebook. "And by the way, if you have used Flo, Zuckerberg and Co already have your cycle tracked," read her tweet.

"Wow. Never had this dawned on me. This should be a PSA. We don’t think we have any privacy anymore with any app!" read one reply to the thread.

Another said, "Just checked the app I use and the parent company’s website links to its privacy policies and terms of service are BLANK."

Someone else wrote, "It's as if these guys read The Handmaid's Tale and thought "that's a manifesto I can get behind". How new tech aligns itself with something old and horrifying."

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