A New York regulator has written to Facebook and the developers behind at least 11 popular iPhone apps found to be sending sensitive data to Facebook, to demand an explanation.

This data included things like weight, BMI, menstrual cycles, alcohol consumption, food consumption, heart-rate, blood pressure and calories burned during exercise – including in one case the category ‘sexual activity’ …

The privacy policies of the apps concerned do not make clear the extent of the data-sharing, often not mentioning Facebook at all.

The investigation follows reporting by the WSJ.

The 11 apps sending sensitive data were:

One letter, addressed to Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, requests information about all companies that have sent Facebook data about mobile application users via software provided by the social-media giant in the last three years, the person said. It also asked the company to provide the categories of data that were shared and a list of all New York state residents whose data were included, the person added.

  • Flo Period & Ovulation Tracker
  • Weight Loss Fitness by Verv
  • BetterMe: Weight Loss Workouts
  • Lose It!
  • GetFit: Home Fitness & Workout
  • Instant Heart Rate: HR Monitor
  • BetterMen: Fitness Trainer
  • Realtor.com Real Estate Search
  • Trulia Real Estate: Find Homes
  • Breethe: Sleep & Meditation
  • Glucose Buddy

These include six of the top 15 health and fitness apps in Apple’s US App Store. All but the last have been downloaded millions of times in the past year.

The WSJ listed the information the apps were found to be sending. Some ceased to do so after the paper contacted them, while others continue to send data.

Facebook said that it is reviewing the letter sent by the regulator, New York state’s Department of Financial Services.

BetterMe was found in Journal testing to be sending Facebook data on users’ weight and height, workouts completed and their selection from among the app’s menu of problem areas to work on, such as “belly fat” or “saggy breasts.”

BetterMe Ltd. didn’t respond to requests for comment, but after being contacted by the Journal earlier this month it changed the app’s privacy policy to more fully disclose what data is shared with Facebook.

A separate European investigation into the same same issue is underway in Ireland.

We’ve reached out to Apple for comment, and will update with any response.

Photo: Shutterstock