Privacy Guarantor Provides Guidelines on Using Fitness Tracker Apps and Devices
Maintaining physical fitness is a common goal, but how much do we care about our privacy during sporting activity? The Privacy Guarantor provides some useful advice on how to use fitness tracker apps and devices without compromising our personal data.
During a spinning class or a daily run, we record a series of information, such as heart rate, route, gym workouts and the number of sit-ups, push-ups and jumps. But also details like weight, height, eating habits, stress level and hours of sleep can be acquired and processed by fitness tracker apps and devices.
Too often, however, we provide such data without paying sufficient attention: and it is for this reason that the Privacy Guarantor has decided to provide ad hoc guidelines to protect us.
Fitness tracker apps and devices not only collect sensitive data about our health, but can also reveal lifestyle habits, movements and even social relationships. This data could be shared with third parties for profiling purposes or, even worse, fall into the hands of malicious individuals with potential risks to our personal safety.
Sharing information about exercise habits and whereabouts on social media could expose us to unwanted situations. Furthermore, fitness tracker apps and devices are often connected to the Internet and other applications and devices, exponentially increasing the amount of data processed and disseminated, posing potential cybersecurity risks.
Therefore, although these tools are invaluable for maintaining good physical shape and improving sports performance, it is essential to use them with awareness and caution. Protecting your privacy and personal data should be one priority, making sure you understand your privacy settings and limiting the sharing of sensitive information.
In the information sheet prepared by the Authority, we can find suggestions, food for thought and useful indications on how to protect our privacy while using fitness tracker apps and devices. It is important to remain mindful of the potential risks and take necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our personal data.