Meta illegally collected Flo users’ menstrual data, jury rules

In a lawsuit against Meta, a California jury has found that the company illegally collected user health data from the Flo period-tracking app, violating the state's wiretap law. The lawsuit alleged that Flo allowed Google and Meta to eavesdrop on in-app communications between November 2016 and February 2019, without users' consent, for targeted advertising purposes. While Flo and other defendants settled the case, Meta remained as the sole defendant. The jury ruled that there was a "preponderance" of evidence showing Meta had "intentionally eavesdropped on and/or recorded conversations using an electronic device," unbeknownst to Flo app users. Although financial damages are yet to be decided, each violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act can result in a penalty of $5,000, with the lawsuit filed on behalf of "millions" of Flo users. The verdict has been described as a "clear message about the protection of digital health data and the responsibilities of Big Tech," with Meta objecting to the outcome and planning to appeal the decision.