Fertility in the Digital Era: Navigating Data Safety with Digital Sociology and Computer Science

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• Flavia Saxler, Marisa Tangeman, Anna Ida Hudig
• Wednesday 22 November 2023, 17:00-18:30
• Department of Sociology.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Anusha Arumugam.

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There is an increased uptake of fertility wearables and apps designed to aid in family planning and reproductive health. As these so-called ‘fertility trackers’ offer more personalised insights into their fertility, data safety and privacy concerns emerge. Data safety encompasses safeguarding digital information through technical measures and sociological insights to mitigate privacy risks, maintain data integrity, and promote responsible data handling practices. This research examines the data practices of different types of fertility trackers. Using methods from computer science and digital sociology, we investigate the collection and use of data from a range of fertility trackers. Our investigation consisted of two primary components: a network traffic analysis to analyse data flows and a walkthrough method to evaluate fertility trackers’ interfaces, websites, and privacy policies (user-facing aspects).

We aim to shed light on potential data safety issues associated with these tools. The network traffic analysis revealed different volumes and frequencies of data flows from the fertility tracker to external actors among the apps we tested. In parallel, the walkthrough method considered factors of the vision, business strategy, and governance of the technologies. We focused on how safety here is reconfigured through socio-technical means such as data retention policies, consent mechanisms, and transparency provided about data usage. In conclusion, we found that there are inconsistencies in data transmission volumes as well as means to inform users about what happens with their data. Additionally, we extract some approaches from the fertility trackers and highlight some ‘good practices’, which – we argue – can be taken as an opportunity to learn and improve. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on data safety in the reproductive health context by providing tangible evidence from different relevant academic disciplines.

Speakers: Flavia Saxler( PhD candidate in Sociology, University of Cambridge) Marisa Tangeman (PhD candidate in Sociology, University of Cambridge) Anna Ida Hudig (PhD candidate in Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge)

This talk is part of the Centre of Governance and Human Rights Events series.

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