A California jury has found Meta guilty of violating state privacy laws in a class-action lawsuit involving users of the period-tracking app, Flo. The lawsuit alleged that Meta collected sensitive menstrual health data from Flo users without their consent and used it for targeted advertising.
The plaintiffs, representing millions of app users, accused both Meta and Flo of sharing confidential information, such as menstrual cycle dates and fertility tracking data, without permission. This, they argued, violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA).
Originally filed in 2021, the lawsuit named Meta, Google, Flo, and advertising tech companies AppFlyers and Flurry as defendants. Google settled in July, while Flo reached a settlement earlier this month.
“This verdict sends a clear message about the protection of digital health data and the responsibilities of Big Tech,” said lead trial attorneys Michael P. Canty and Carol C. Villegas. “Companies like Meta that covertly profit from users’ most intimate information must be held accountable.”
Meta, however, denies the allegations and plans to challenge the decision. “We vigorously disagree with this outcome and are exploring all legal options,” a spokesperson said. “User privacy is important to Meta. We do not want health or other sensitive data and prohibit developers from sharing such information with us.”
The ruling is a significant development in the ongoing debate around data privacy, digital health, and tech accountability, particularly when it comes to handling sensitive user information.
