Joii’s AI sanitary pad measures menstrual flow — but raises serious privacy concerns

Joii’s new AI tool allows users to photograph used pads to assess blood volume, clot size, cycle changes, and symptoms. While the app promises early detection of endometriosis, PCOS, and other conditions, cybersecurity experts warn the technology is extremely sensitive. Photos of menstrual blood may reveal biological markers, hormonal data, and indications of pregnancy or miscarriage, making them valuable — and dangerous — if mishandled.

• Period-tracking apps have been involved in major privacy scandals. Flo, one of the world’s most popular apps, was caught sharing pregnancy-related data with Facebook. Researchers note that fertility data is among the most commercially valuable, as it reflects drastic changes in consumer behaviour.

• Joii’s system relies on cloud-based AI processing, meaning photos may be temporarily stored or even used to train AI models unless explicitly prohibited.

While Joii’s AI sanitary pad may improve women’s health diagnostics, the privacy risks remain substantial, particularly if personal biological data is leaked, sold, or accessed by authorities. Users should remain cautious, especially in countries with criminalized reproductive rights.

Joii’s technology itself is based on cloud-based AI processing, which means that data can be temporarily stored on third-party servers and used to train models — unless the company makes strict guarantees to the contrary.

Joii’s AI pads open the way to more accurate diagnosis of female conditions, but the privacy risks may outweigh the benefits if the data ends up in the hands of abusers or government agencies. Users should be wary of such services, especially in regions with repressive reproductive rights laws.