私はいつもあなたを愛してきた.. 別れ..

"So I drank one, it became four, and when I fell on the floor I drank more. Nothing has changed, I still love you, I still love you." - Morrissey

[yamelcakes]

With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, I need to let people know how dangerous the healthcare privacy climate is now. As someone that works with PHI (protected health information) I want to stress that HIPAA (the law that prevents your health data from being shared) does not apply to healthcare apps. These are incredibly dangerous to use, not only because law enforcement can procure a subpoena to access this information, but because these apps can sell your health data to any third party—potentially anti-abortion activists. Anyone with a uterus should delete not only period trackers, but mental health apps, because if you have a miscarriage or seek an abortion in a state that outlaws it, your mental health history can be used against you.

I would also discourage people from using online therapy apps like BetterHelp and Talkspace. Though BetterHelp says they are HIPAA compliant, that is a lie. They have shared data with Facebook. Their most recent privacy policy update says “We may share your information in connection with an asset sale, merger, bankruptcy, or other business transaction.” Any data breach could put your information at risk. Any health app could suddenly decide to change their privacy policies without notice.

Most responsible clinicians put your health data under (many times literally) lock and key. PHI software like Epic or Cerner have numerous failsafes to prevent data leaks. This is not the case for apps. BetterHelp and healthcare apps in general do not care about this. They only care about money. Do not trust any app or healthcare provider that operates strictly online. And for your own sake, use a VPN if you’re searching for abortion providers or advice.

[orinthered]

Deleting Data From Period Tracker Apps (Flo, Clue, Ovia)

deleting the app off of your phone does not delete the data that these companies have on you. given the overturning of roe v wade, it is very possible for bastard cops to demand that data on you if hospital staff suspect you’re considering an abortion, or some other such claim.

FLO: email [email protected] to request that your account be deactivated and your data permanently erased. flo will hold your data for THREE YEARS unless you make this specific request. 

CLUE: your data will be erased when you delete your account. the official steps for deleting your clue account are outlined as follows:

1. Open your Clue app. 2. Go to the More Menu in the top-right corner of the Cycle View. 3. Tap ‘Support’. 4. Tap ‘Account and Data’. 5. Scroll down and tap on “How can I delete my account?” 6. Tap the text “delete your Clue account”. 7. If you wish to back-up your data (I would not, it would defeat the point of deleting this data in the first place), you can tap ‘Back up my data’. 8. Tap ‘Continue’ back on the ‘Delete Account’ screen. 9. Enter your password and tap ‘Delete account permanently’.

OVIA: your information is deleted when you delete your account. unfortunately, there’s a really shady clause about denying deletion requests under certain circumstances, so delete that shit as fast as you can. steps for account deletion:

1. Go to the “Settings” page of your Ovia app. 2. Select the option “Reset or delete my account” 3. Then select the option “Delete my account and data”

IF YOU USE ANOTHER PERIOD TRACKER, PLEASE LOOK THROUGH YOUR PRIVACY AGREEMENT. SEARCH FOR TERMS LIKE “DELETION”, “DATA”, AND “RETAIN”. MANY COMPANIES HAVE EXTREMELY SHADY PRACTICES ABOUT DATA DELETION.

[girderednerve]

if you, like me, really want a period tracker app for various reasons, you might find this recent consumer reports article breaking down how various apps store & share your data useful.

there are a few apps available which store your data on your device, without uploading it to a server where they might be compelled to turn it over; some apps also allow you to encrypt or password-protect your data. these include drip and periodical, for android, and euki, on android & ios.

there are also several news articles (such as this one) where legal experts point to concerns about search history and location data. while period trackers retain information about your menstrual cycle, which might provide supporting evidence for a terminated pregnancy, abortion prosecutions tend to focus more on evidence of intent to terminate a pregnancy over evidence of a menstrual disruption, which could be explained by multiple factors.

in light of that, i recommend that you use a privacy-respecting browser, like firefox, with a VPN you trust (i use proton, but there are lots of options), and be careful what you look up & how if you are seeking an abortion in a state where that activity might be criminalized.

when the supreme court overturned roe v. wade, they also dramatically weakened the constitutional right to privacy more broadly. now is a good time to look into data security for a lot of reasons.

[weltenwellen]

Wisława Szymborska, tr. by Clare Cavanagh and Stanisław Barańczak, from “Flagrance”, Map: Collected and Last Poems

[withoutyourwalls]

Tracey Emin, Birds 2012 London Olympic Print, 2011

[yuukiina]

[weltenwellen]

Scherezade Siobhan, from “Code“

[serotoninsuggestion]

a freshly cooked meal is best but fast food or a plain cracker is better than nothing. a full skincare routine is great but a splash of water and moisturiser is better than nothing. 8 hours sleep is ideal but 4 or 2 is better than nothing. cleaning the entire room is fantastic but just wiping the mirror or throwing clothes in a basket is better than nothing. a shower is great but a face and arm wash or a wipe is better than nothing. changing your bedding once a week is best but swapping just the pillows or washing only once a month is better than nothing. a 5k run is fabulous but a walk around the block or touching your toes in bed is better than nothing. being your “best self” and thriving is amazing but if you are trying and conserving the energy you have and taking baby steps every day and surviving then that is wonderful too.

[weltenwellen]

Vladimir Nabokov, Letters to Véra

[chandelyer-deactivated20241003]

Rara Avis “Floral Paradise” 2017 bridal collection

[sonderin]

by shamitmussavi

[sweetestsecrets]

“No relationship can truly grow if you go on holding back. If you remain clever and go on safeguarding and protecting yourself, only personalities meet, and the essential centers remain alone. Then only your mask is related, not you. Whenever such a thing happens, there are four persons in the relationship, not two. Two false persons go on meeting, and the two real persons remain worlds apart.”

— Osho, Intimacy: Trusting Oneself and the Other (via minuty)

[bpd-bbyg]

[r-siken-deactivated20210531]

love from a distance, richard siken

[labelle-fleursauvage-deactivate]

Afternoon tea

[clawmarks]

Trompe l’oeil still life with flower and playing card - French School - 20th c. - via Sotheby’s 

[antoniettabrandeisova]

Still Life with Roses, Peonies and Lilac, 1848, Adriana Johanna Haanen

[sportsnight-deactivated20201211]

friends to enemies to lovers is actually something that can be so intimate. i know you i know everything about you i have told you all my deepest secrets and you have told me yours and now i am trying to kill you literally or metaphorically because hate and love are separated by a very thin line and i don’t know which side i am on

[sportsnight-deactivated20201211]