Examining Data Privacy and User Trust in Fertility- and Menstruation Technologies Using an Intersectional Feminist Perspective

Abstract: With the digitization of healthcare, there has been an increase in self-tracking technologies for health. One group of self-tracking technologies is FMTs, fertility- and menstruation technologies. By gathering information on users’ menstruation and fertility, these technologies have access to intimate and sensitive data that requires secure protection. Previous research has criticized FMTs for lacking in data security and several risks with this data being shared have been identified. Risks of lacking data security include discrimination against the user in the workplace, and being targeted by cyber-criminals. This thesis explores how users perceive trust and data privacy in fertility- and menstruation technologies by conducting a user study. Participants (n=18) were interviewed in pairs about their experiences of FMTs, data privacy, and trust. Based on the interview findings, seven design guidelines were created to enhance user trust and ensure data privacy. Additionally, an Android application was developed as a high-fidelity prototype to visualize and discuss the guidelines. The research contributes to the field by identifying design aspects that can be used by creators of FMTs to improve their privacy practices and generate trust among their users.