Attorneys general in nine states and the District of Columbia are urging Apple this week to introduce new App Store requirements designed to safeguard sensitive health data linked to reproductive care.In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the dozen chief law enforcement officials accused the company of leaving open a “gap” in its data protection policies that, they said, “threatens the privacy and safety of App Store consumers, and runs directly counter to Apple’s publicly expressed commitment to protect user data.”The officials are asking Cook to implement new rules on app developers requiring the deletion of non-essential data, including the location and search histories of users “seeking, accessing, or helping to provide reproductive health care.”Additionally, the officials urged Apple to demand app makers certify they’d only disclose reproductive health data in response to a “valid subpoena, search warrant, or court order.” App makers should be required, the officials said, to provide “clear and conspicuous notices” to consumers whenever there’s a potential for such health data to be disclosed to third parties.The letter proclaims Apple customers have made their concerns about the way mobile apps are handling reproductive data clear in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson, the Supreme Court case that eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion after almost 50 years.The criminalization of abortion has ignited new fears over the digital surveillance practices of state and local law enforcement agencies, particularly in states such as Texas, where people face potential criminal prosecution for helping abortion seekers travel to other states where care is still legal.Citing a recent survey by the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation, the officials noted that many apps failed to meet minimum security standards, and that some even lacked “basic privacy policies, let alone policies that addressed the use of sensitive information.”“We acknowledge Apple’s commitment to privacy and security across its products, as evidenced by its use of encryption to protect user health data as well as its transparency into law enforcement requests for user data,” the officials said."