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Facebook might know you're pregnant before you even tell your partner

Claire Haiek |

New findings show exactly how much the social media giant knows about you - and your body. 

7 surprising fertility facts00:18:38

Fertility and trying to conceive isn’t as easy as some people think, here are some facts that might surprise you!

A few months ago we gathered and assessed the top fertility tracking apps on the market. To test them all out, I downloaded them all and began to track my cycles.

While I was being prompted with reminders about my fertile window and fun facts about ovulation, something much more sinister was going on in the background.

There's money in information

We all know the apps we use have the ability to track, store and make money from our data. How else do you explain all the ads that pop up for health funds after you've googled 'maternity hospitals'?

It's been common knowledge for some time that companies like Facebook gather personal data, but if you've downloaded an app which tracks your data, it might be worth checking how they handle your personal information once collected.

An ABC News article reported Facebook has been receiving data from several apps, including Flo Health Inc's Flo Period and Ovulation tracker. Referring to an article in the Wall Street Journal, they said that testing showed Facebook had collected personal information such as users' weight, blood pressure and ovulation status.

Specifically, The Wall Street Journal said information relating to a woman's period and then heart rate information was sent to Facebook.

Facebook pointed out the issue was more to do with the ways other apps use your data. They prohibit app developers from sending them sensitive data and even take steps to remove any sensitive information that should not have been shared with them. But those other apps are still using the personal information to curate ads for their audience, which are then shared through Facebook.

Advertisers know you're pregnant before your friends do

So essentially, you've been entering fertility information, hoping the app will help you conceive. And as a result of apps using that data to identify their target demographic, you could be getting ads for maternity jeans before you've even announced your pregnancy.

Image: iStock.

HOW do they KNOW?! Image: iStock.

"Common practice"

Flo Health said such data gathering is "common practice" but they planned to perform an audit of its analytics tools with privacy in mind.

The Conversation explains how tracking algorithms work behind the scenes to gather all sort of information, which is then served back to us in the form of content and advertising.

The article's authors suggest an 'algorithmic guardian' may be the answer. Algorithmic guardians would be like, "bots, personal assistants or hologram technology that accompany us everywhere we venture online, and alert us to what's going on behind the scenes."

The alternative is to delete any apps that request permission to access your personal data (although don't they all these days anyway?).

Or perhaps the apps could simply let us know when we're pregnant, or at least hold off on targeting us as mums-to-be until they've tracked our online pregnancy announcement!