“Although privacy zones in sports apps are designed to protect your locations, research by the DistriNet group at KU Leuven shows that this measure is often insufficient,” reports BeSafe.
Sports app users can therefore expose important data such as their home location, their route and their distance. “This information, in combination with a street map, can lead to determining the exact location.”
Attractive for bicycle thieves
Not only does this threaten the user’s privacy, it also creates a risk of theft. “This shortcoming creates an attractive target for bicycle thieves. Once thieves become aware that a user exercises regularly and know exactly where this user lives, this person becomes a potential target for bicycle theft.”
You can take action to reduce the risk. “Setting up a privacy zone of more than a kilometer will better protect your personal locations from prying eyes.”
Private profile
It is also important to make your sports app profile private. “While it’s fun to share your progress with friends, a private profile makes it harder for thieves to get your information. This way you can still stay connected with friends, but your activities remain private to outsiders.”
One way to outsmart thieves is to only start the sports app after you have left: “Only turn on your sports app after you have cycled a short distance from home or work. This way it becomes more difficult for others to determine where you live or work.”
