A jury in California has ruled that Meta violated state privacy laws in a class-action lawsuit. The case was brought by users of the period-tracking app, Flo, who alleged that the tech company covertly collected their private health data without their permission and used it for advertising purposes.
The plaintiffs, who claimed to represent millions of Flo users, had accused Flo and Meta of gathering sensitive health information, such as period dates and fertility goals, directly from the app. They argued this was a violation of the California Invasion of Privacy Act. The lawsuit, originally filed in 2021, also included Google and other ad companies, although Google and Flo have since settled.
Lead trial attorneys for the case, Michael P. Canty and Carol C. Villegas, stated that the verdict sends a strong message about the protection of digital health data and the responsibilities of major technology companies. They emphasised that companies that profit from users’ most private information must be held accountable and that the outcome reinforces the fundamental right to privacy, especially concerning sensitive health data. In response, a Meta spokesperson disagreed with the verdict, stating that the company did not eavesdrop on Flo users. They added that Meta does not want health or other sensitive information and its terms prohibit developers from sending it.