Health data, now with ad targeting
Your smartwatch is great for counting steps and buzzing you when you’ve been sitting on your butt too long. But have you ever stopped to think where all that personal data is going?
From sleep patterns to how stressed you are on a Tuesday afternoon, it’s all being logged in a digital diary. And guess what? That diary is worth big money to advertisers, insurance companies and, of course, hackers.
🗑️ What it collects (spoiler: everything)
- Fitness stuff: Steps, calories, heart rate, workouts
- Health info: Sleep, blood oxygen, cycle tracking, stress
- Behavioral patterns: When you move, how you move
- Location: Where you go, when you go, even when you “go to the gym” but really hit Chipotle
One data point is no big deal, but together? You hand over a complete snapshot of your life.
🤔 Why you should care
- “Anonymized” is not anonymous. They can connect the dots to know who you are.
- Your health data could be used to raise your insurance rates, or worse.
- One breach, and your most personal health info is out in the wild.
- Gain 2 pounds, and it’s all weight loss shakes in your feed.
🔒 Lock it down
1. Pick better apps: Stick to apps with solid privacy policies or ones that store your data on your device instead of the cloud.
✅ Good: CommonHealth, Gadgetbridge, HeartWatch ($9)
🚫 Nope: Talkspace, BetterHelp, MyFitnessPal
2. Turn off unnecessary tracking
- Apple Watch
On iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > turn off Share iPhone & Watch Analytics. - Pixel Watch
On your phone used with your watch: Settings > Google > Manage your Google Account > Data & privacy > turn off Web & App Activity and Location History.
On the watch: Settings > Apps & notifications > App permissions > disable anything sketchy.
- Fitbit
With your Google account: Fitbit app > Today tab (top right) > Your data in Fitbit > Manage features you turned on.
Check what gets stored or shared, or delete it all if you’re over it.
- Samsung Health
In the app: Menu (☰) > Settings > Health Connect > App permissions > Samsung Health.
Toggle off anything you don’t want going out.
3. Check your apps: There’s no good reason for your fitness app to ask for your mic or contacts. Many apps also want to sync with everything from your calendar to your social media. Don’t let them.
Now, if your employer or health insurance provider wants you to wear a tracker, ask what they’re doing with the data. Your watch should make you healthier, not turn you into a data product.
🤗 Tip in a tip
Apple just announced a bunch of health-tracking features alongside its new smartwatch lineup, and you might not even need to spring for a new one.
With the launch of watchOS 26 next week, the Watch Series 9 (and the last-gen Watch Ultra 2) will get hypertension notifications, live translation and the wrist-flick gesture, giving you most of the new tricks without having to buy a new watch.
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Tags: applications (apps), hackers, Health, security, settings
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