Ten US states are writing to Apple to demand that it imposes stronger safeguards on third parties that collect data about their customers' health.
In the Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court ruled that a woman who wants to seek an abortion can obtain it from a third party. Attorney Generals from 10 states, including New Jersey, urged Apple to strengthen its privacy protections for users of third-party apps that gather health data. The states warned that apps that collect private health information from users could provide "significant risks" to those seeking or assisting in the provision of reproductive health care.
State attorneys general wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook warning that third-party apps, such as pregnancy and fertility apps and period tracking apps, collect personal health information about users that could be used against them by law enforcement or private companies.
New Jersey and seven other states joined together to claim that the gaps in Apple's protections are a "blatant violation" of what Apple has publicly said it will do to protect people's data.
Apple has refused to comment on the state lawyers' request, but it has acknowledged that it hasn't taken sufficient steps to protect users' personal data.
State attorneys general accuse Apple of not doing enough to safeguard customers' privacy and warn that information about a person's behavior that relates to their physical or sexual health could harm them.
The state law enforcers wrote in the letter that app developers should be required to delete any data not required for the use of the application, including location history, search history, and any other related data of users who may be seeking, gaining access to, or assisting in the provision of reproductive health care.