Work

Bleeding data: the case of fertility and menstruation tracking apps

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Journalists, non-profits and consumer organisations, as well as the authors' first-hand review of relevant privacy policies reveal that fertility and menstruation tracking apps (FMTs) collect and share an excessive array of data.Through doctrinal legal research, we evaluate this data processing in light of data and consumer protection law but find the commonly invoked concepts of 'vulnerability' , ' consent' and 'transparency' insufficient to alleviate power imbalances.Instead, drawing on a feminist understanding of work and the autonomist 'social factory' , we argue that users perform unpaid, even gendered, consumer labour in the digital realm and explore the potential of a demand for wages.

Source: Internet Policy Review

DOI: 10.14763/2021.4.1599

Authors: Anastasia Siapka, Elisabetta Biasin

Institution: KU Leuven

Language: English

Topic: Digitalization, Law, and Regulation

Subfield: Law

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Vlaamse regering