Is a privacy policy legally binding on the company

Yes. Under FTC Section 5, a company that violates its own stated privacy practices can face enforcement for deceptive trade practices. The FTC enforcement action against Flo in 2021 was based partly on this: Flo's privacy policy said it would not share health data for advertising, and it did. However, enforcement is reactive, the FTC acts after a violation, not before.

How often do companies update their privacy policies

Companies update privacy policies when they add new data practices, change their business model, or are required to by law. If an app notifies you of a policy update, reading the update is more important than re-reading the whole policy. Changes to data sharing, retention, or law enforcement sections are the ones most likely to affect your risk profile.

Should I trust a privacy policy that says 'we never sell your data'

Treat this statement as a starting point, not a conclusion. 'Selling' data has a narrow legal definition; 'sharing' data with advertising partners for targeted advertising may not technically be a 'sale' under some legal frameworks. Read the data sharing section to understand what sharing does occur. The Flo enforcement action illustrates that accurate understanding requires reading the sharing section, not just the marketing summary.

guides

How to Read a Period Tracker Privacy Policy

Most users skip privacy policies. A 5-step checklist to audit any period tracker's privacy policy in under 15 minutes and know exactly what to look for.

Why Most People Skip Privacy Policies Privacy policies are long. They are written in legal language. They are rarely linked from a prominent place in the app. And reading them requires believing that the effort will lead to actionable information. All of this is by design. A shorter, clearer privacy policy would make it easier to identify concerning data practices. The length and complexity serve the company's interests, not yours. The good news: you do not need to read the whole thing. You need to read five specific sections, and you can find them quickly using keyword searches. The 5 Step Audit Checklist Use the steps above in order. Steps 1 and 2 are the most important, they tell you what data is collected and where it goes. Steps 3 through 5 add important context about how long it is kept and under what conditions it is disclosed. This checklist takes 10 to 15 minutes for a typical privacy policy. That is enough time to understand whether the app's data practices match your comfort level. What Good Looks Like vs. What Concerning Looks Like Good "We do not share your health data with advertising partners. We do not sell your personal information. Health data is stored on your de