Joggers ought to protect their data when using fitness apps to avoid it from falling into the wrong hands. So says an investigative software firm, which warns that the data accumulated in social running apps paints a digital picture of a user’s life: location, running routes, and timings.
This week officially is National Stalking Awareness Week. Altia is encouraging runners to ‘lock down’ their privacy settings, making their profile available only to trusted friends. Stalkers may look to use data from running apps, the firm warns.
Apps such as Strava have risen in popularity since the pandemic when there was an uptake in running during the covid pandemic lockdowns, allowing users to track and share their progress. Strava is hosting more than 100 million community members. By using a phone’s GPS to track activity and performance statistics, users can share their workouts with friends and followers by posting it on their feed.
Dave Sampson, Consultant for Digital Intelligence, Altia, said: “The default setting for these apps is to have everything visible, so users should actively check their settings before they start using it. If someone is looking to track you they potentially have visibility of your run routes, the times you set off, and potentially even your home address if you go straight from the door, which is all valuable information.”
Altia also warned that the data could be obtained and used by criminals. Dave said: “There is also potential for individuals to use it for purposes other than what it was designed for. For example, a prison officer who uses the app could be identified and approached by an organised crime group which is looking to smuggle drugs into a prison.
“Without the available security enabled, if you track and share your running activity to and from your place of work and that is a secure or restricted location, you could unwittingly be sharing insight into you and your workplace.”
The Nottingham-based software firm advised that as well as ensuring their privacy settings are as stringent as possible, users should check who likes their status, whether they are a regular follower, and whether their activity is genuine.
Dave added: “The risk comes from the opportunity the data gives potential criminals. Anything you do can be taken and used to locate you, but it’s about being vigilant and taking the necessary precautions to minimise that risk as much as possible.
“Our advice would be to lock it down when it comes to your privacy settings. That way you can enjoy your progress safe in the knowledge that your data is secure and only shared appropriately.”
Visit www.altiaintel.com.
More on data protection and investigations in the June print edition of Professional Security Magazine.
