What changed at Flo after the FTC action

Flo introduced Anonymous Mode, updated its privacy policy, notified affected users about the prior data sharing, and directed Facebook, Google, and Flurry to delete improperly shared data. These changes address the specific conduct the FTC identified. They do not change the underlying cloud-based architecture that stores your data on Flo's servers.

What didn't change at Flo after the FTC action

The data architecture. Flo still stores cycle data on its servers. The servers still run in a jurisdiction subject to US legal process. Data on those servers can still be accessed via subpoena or court order. The consent order added procedural requirements, consent, notification, privacy program, but procedural controls can be violated or overridden. Architectural controls cannot.

Is Flo's Anonymous Mode free

No. Anonymous Mode requires a Flo Premium subscription. This means basic privacy is a paid feature. Users on the free tier track their cycles on Flo's servers without the identity-decoupling that Anonymous Mode claims to provide.

Should I delete Flo after the lawsuit

Deleting the app removes it from your phone but does not immediately erase your data from Flo's servers. To request data deletion, go to Profile > Settings > Privacy > Delete Account before uninstalling. Note that data shared with third-party SDKs before the FTC action may already have been retained by those parties. If you want a tracker where deleting the app deletes all data, use an on-device tracker, there are no server records to persist.

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Is Flo Safe to Use What Changed and What Didn't

Flo's privacy improved post-FTC, but your data still sits on their servers. Anonymous Mode is paid-only and doesn't fix the architecture.

Flo improved its privacy practices after the 2021 FTC enforcement action, but its core architecture hasn't changed. Your data is still stored on Flo's servers, which can be subpoenaed. What Flo Changed After the FTC Action The FTC consent order required Flo to take specific corrective steps. Flo: Notified affected users that their health data had been shared with Facebook, Google, and Flurry Directed those companies to delete the improperly shared data Updated its privacy policy Launched Anonymous Mode, which claims to decouple cycle data from user identity Implemented a privacy program as required by the consent order These are real changes. They address the specific conduct the FTC found deceptive, sharing data with third party SDKs while claiming not to. Source: FTC consent order, June 2021 What Didn't Change The data architecture. Flo is still a cloud based app. Your cycle data, period dates, symptoms, pregnancy status, is stored on Flo's servers. That has not changed. This matters because: Servers can be subpoenaed. Any data a company holds on its servers can be obtained through legal process. In states with abortion restrictions, law enforcement has sought digital health data