Fitbit and privacy

pcdoctor01 · 02-04-16, 07:13 AM

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before but I'm too frugal to get a Fitbit or other similar device. I only have a Crane heart rate monitor. They keep talking on my local news station about the Fitbit being a concern for privacy. Anyone with a Fitbit concerned? Just curious.

Here is one article.

http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...ter-technology

LAC · 02-04-16, 07:41 AM

This article raises some good points. I'll add another: Recently a person I knew many, many years ago contacted me out of the blue through FitBit asking to friend me. I like this person and don't have an issue with her, but I was creeped out to realize that anybody could locate me this way. I don't do Facebook or Twitter and didn't think I had much of a trackable online presence. Apparently I was wrong

. And on another front, most of my extended family are now my FitBit friends, but are way too competitive for me; they strive to be #1 every day and rack up 100,000+ steps weekly. It gets depressing to always be the person in last place, but as someone who works 8 hours a day at a desk, there is no way for me to keep up with them unless I live on the elliptical/treadmill in the evening and ignore everything else in my life. Maybe it is time for me to ditch FitBit and go back to a pedometer.

Vantreesta · 02-04-16, 07:57 AM

As an already paranoid person, I am afraid to read the article....

andtckrtoo · 02-04-16, 08:02 AM

I don't consider height, weight and steps to be my most sensitive medical data, so no, not really. Yes, people can find you if they look and I've gotten some people I don't know. I just don't accept them as friends. The only thing they can see is your user name and average number of steps. No different, really from Facebook

raeven · 02-04-16, 08:21 AM

Never use your real name or info for these types of things. We use fake names and emails set up for them.

pcdoctor01 · 02-04-16, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vantreesta

As an already paranoid person, I am afraid to read the article....

Hee hee.

FitBoop · 02-04-16, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcdoctor01

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before but I'm too frugal to get a Fitbit or other similar device. I only have a Crane heart rate monitor. They keep talking on my local news station about the Fitbit being a concern for privacy. Anyone with a Fitbit concerned? Just curious.

Here is one article.

http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...ter-technology

Yes. The privacy issue is why I have not bought a fitness tracking device. There is no way I would give some company all that information about me. Just like every other piece of information that we give companies or disclose on (or off) the internet, it could end up anywhere (such as with data collection companies) and used for who knows what. Insurance companies or prospective employers could end up getting the information and use it in evaluations. It is far too easy for our information to be gathered and used in all kinds of ways.

ETA: On Fitbit's website, it says that you can set privacy settings to limit what people can see. I had no idea that Fitbit included a Facebook-type aspect.

kalliope999 · 02-04-16, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andtckrtoo

I don't consider height, weight and steps to be my most sensitive medical data, so no, not really. Yes, people can find you if they look and I've gotten some people I don't know. I just don't accept them as friends. The only thing they can see is your user name and average number of steps. No different, really from Facebook

Quote:

Originally Posted by raeven

Never use your real name or info for these types of things. We use fake names and emails set up for them.

I totally agree with these comments. Just like with Facebook, if you lock down your account, only "friend" true, real-life friends, and are judicious with what you post and share, you're in decent shape. Fitbit as a company may see my steps and weight and food, but my name isn't on my account.

I don't friend people on Fitbit's or MyFitnessPal's sites, so the most anyone can see is my average steps, I think. I have the One, so it doesn't know my heart rate, nor does it track my location.

Similarly to raeven, I use an email address for my account that doesn't have my full name associated with it.

hdw · 02-04-16, 04:49 PM

I have a fitbit. I never linked it with anything, and never really sync it either. Everything I want to know is on my wrist... I'm not competitive. And I like living under the rock.

andtckrtoo · 02-04-16, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FitBoop

ETA: On Fitbit's website, it says that you can set privacy settings to limit what people can see. I had no idea that Fitbit included a Facebook-type aspect.

The only thing anyone but me (and probably the Fitbit Admins) can see is my steps for the day. I don't share anything else. I was speaking that if the data leaked, I don't care whether or not some company knows my height and weight.

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02-04-16, 07:13 AM
pcdoctor01 Join Date: Feb 2013	Fitbit and privacy I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before but I'm too frugal to get a Fitbit or other similar device. I only have a Crane heart rate monitor. They keep talking on my local news station about the Fitbit being a concern for privacy. Anyone with a Fitbit concerned? Just curious. Here is one article. http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...ter-technology

02-04-16, 07:41 AM
LAC Join Date: Apr 2006	This article raises some good points. I'll add another: Recently a person I knew many, many years ago contacted me out of the blue through FitBit asking to friend me. I like this person and don't have an issue with her, but I was creeped out to realize that anybody could locate me this way. I don't do Facebook or Twitter and didn't think I had much of a trackable online presence. Apparently I was wrong . And on another front, most of my extended family are now my FitBit friends, but are way too competitive for me; they strive to be #1 every day and rack up 100,000+ steps weekly. It gets depressing to always be the person in last place, but as someone who works 8 hours a day at a desk, there is no way for me to keep up with them unless I live on the elliptical/treadmill in the evening and ignore everything else in my life. Maybe it is time for me to ditch FitBit and go back to a pedometer.

02-04-16, 07:57 AM
Vantreesta Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Snowman Land :)	As an already paranoid person, I am afraid to read the article.... __________________ "No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch." "God, please help me to be the person my dog thinks I am." "You can't run from your problems. But you'll both feel a little lighter when you get back." ~New Balance shoe ad You don't have to be fast, just keep moving forward. Note to self: You don't get to complain about things you won't work to change! Word for 2024: Accomplished; Word for 2023: Grounded; Word for 2022: Consistency; Word for 2021: Mindfulness

02-04-16, 08:02 AM
andtckrtoo Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Island off the NC Coast	I don't consider height, weight and steps to be my most sensitive medical data, so no, not really. Yes, people can find you if they look and I've gotten some people I don't know. I just don't accept them as friends. The only thing they can see is your user name and average number of steps. No different, really from Facebook __________________ Christine Wag more, bark less

02-04-16, 08:21 AM
raeven Join Date: Dec 2010	Never use your real name or info for these types of things. We use fake names and emails set up for them.

02-04-16, 04:49 PM
hdw VF Supporter Join Date: Dec 2001	I have a fitbit. I never linked it with anything, and never really sync it either. Everything I want to know is on my wrist... I'm not competitive. And I like living under the rock.