THE hacker group Anonymous claims they’ve “hacked and deleted” data from menstrual tracking apps to protect the identity of potential abortion seekers.
The hacktivists’ latest claims come as American women have begun deleting their period tracking apps amid the Supreme Court‘s decision to overturn the abortion ruling, Roe v Wade.
The hacker group Anonymous has allegedly hacked and deleted data from menstrual tracking apps to protect women’s identity[/caption]
American women have begun deleting their period tracking apps amid the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the abortion ruling, Roe v Wade[/caption]
“Data from menstrual tracking apps have been hacked and deleted to avoid identifying possible abortion in states where abortion is now banned. #Anonymous #OpJane,” the hacker group tweeted on Thursday.
American women fear the data collected by the apps could be used against them in future criminal cases in states where abortion has become illegal.
Women began deleting the apps in May when a draft of the court’s opinion that suggested they would overturn Roe v Wade was leaked.
However, it’s since intensified after the court voted to veto the federal right to abortion.
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Period tracking apps like Flo have announced a new “anonymous mode” feature that will allow users to remove their name, email, address and technical identifiers from their profile.
“You deserve the right to protect your data,” Flo tweeted on June 24 after the Supreme Court’s decision.
“We will soon be launching an ‘Anonymous Mode’ that removes your personal identity from your Flo account, so that no one can identify you.”
Flo has amassed more than 48million active users and is one of the biggest health apps on the market.
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ROE V WADE OVERTURNED
The court’s 5-4 decision will leave the issues of abortion up to state legislators, which will ultimately result in a total ban on the procedure in about half of the states.
Associate Justice Samuel Alito was joined in his opinion by Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett.
In the court’s June 24 ruling, Alito called Roe “egregiously wrong from the start”.
He said the Constitution “does not confer a right to abortion,” declaring that the decision should ultimately be left to the state to regulate.
“Abortion presents a profound moral question The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion.
“Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. The Court overrules those decisions and returns that authority to the people and their elected representatives.”
The states that may implement total or near-total abortion restrictions include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
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Democrat-appointed Justices Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan dissented.
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,” they wrote.
