Posted on 11/20/2019 11:54:52 AM PST by C19fan
When Mike Carpenter learned Google’s latest acquisition would be Fitbit, the maker of a device he wore at all hours of the day except in the shower, he left his Fitbit Charge 3 on the table at his office where he was working that day. He, and others like him, haven’t picked it up since.
On Nov. 1, Google said would be buying Fitbit for $2.1 billion in hopes of boosting its hardware business getting a foothold in the health space. Google explicitly said in the announcing the deal that it won’t sell users' personal or health data. Despite that assurance, some Fitbit users say they don’t trust the company, and are shedding the product altogether.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Given Google's track record I would say that is a lie.
It’s ok, most of know it it users never get off their asses. It’s not a secret.
Apple has a lot of fitness apps for its watches and mobile devices. Reason I mention Apple is they seem to be very protective of people's privacy.
I did a web search asking if Fitbit can tell if one is a wanker, and the consensus seems to be “Yes.”
I wonder what Google will do with all that accelerometer data.
What does Siri say?
Yeah, what if they trashman finds out your resting heart rate.
As well they should!
I stopped wearing my Fitbit several years ago when I learned that they were already selling my information.
ALL the major fitness trackers demand access to your phone data. Not one allows you to decline. Every single fitness tracker collects EVERYTHING from your phone several times a day. So do the other medical devices that use your phone. ALL OF THEM!! If you use a fitness tracker, everything that passes through your phone is shared by the company and they sell it to whomever they wish. You had to agree to that in order to set up the device. If it’s made in China, the Chinese government has everything from your phone.
Google will probably helpfully inform your insurance company that you have high blood pressure or some other condition. Not in way that breaks HIPPA but in some other way that it can be inferred through the magic of data science and de-anonymization.
What is to worry? Lack of privacy in those things is probable as they were, a sure thing with Google as the proprietor.
They also bought the Nest system. They will have access to your thermostat. I think Nest has video doorbells and security cameras. Just think, some day the burglar will have a google phone in his pocket and he will see himself tagged in a photo on Instagram that was taken behind the house he broke in to.
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