Are your smart devices tracking too much?
Your smartwatch is great for tracking steps, but have you ever thought about where all that personal data actually goes?
From sleep patterns to calorie intake, it’s like a digital diary — and it’s worth billions to insurance companies, marketing outfits, advertisers and, of course, hackers. Don’t panic! I’ll walk you through how to lock down your privacy.
What’s being collected?
- Fitness metrics like steps taken, calories burned, heart rate and your workout intensity.
- Health info, including sleep quality, blood oxygen levels, reproductive health details and stress indicators.
- Behavioral patterns such as how you move, how often you check your device and where you go most frequently.
- Location data, including GPS tracking during runs and walks, along with routine daily movements.
These data points might not seem like a big deal by themselves, but together, they create a detailed snapshot of your life.
That’s worth big money
While companies often claim the information they collect is “anonymized,” it doesn’t take much to connect the dots and figure out who you are. For example, you’re using an app that promises it doesn’t track you, but your phone has a unique ID and it’s also tied to your IP address. Got ya!
That can lead to discrimination, with employers, insurance companies or others using data you don’t know they have to make biased decisions. There’s also the potential for breaches to expose sensitive health data to hackers who could use it for blackmail or fraud.
And let’s not forget manipulation. Imagine your fitness tracker notices a slight weight gain, and suddenly, you’re being bombarded with ads for weight-loss products. It’s not just invasive; it’s downright predatory.
How to protect yourself
If you use apps and devices to monitor your health, there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself.
Be selective: Stick with apps that have a strong privacy track record and are crystal clear about not collecting personal info or usage data. Even better? Apps that store your data on your device instead of the cloud.
- ✅ Better for privacy: CommonHealth, Gadgetbridge, HeartWatch
- 🔴 Bad privacy records: Talkspace, BetterHelp, MyFitnessPal
Opt out: Big companies give you ways to manage data collection and sharing.
- Apple: From your iPhone, head to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements and toggle off options like Share iPhone Analytics.
- Fitbit: In the Fitbit app, you’ll find your data-sharing prefs under Account Settings > Manage data and privacy. (If you’ve moved your Fitbit to your Google account, you’ll manage privacy in the Google app.)
- Samsung: Open your Samsung Health app, then go to Settings > Data Permissions.
Review your permissions: Don’t hand an app permissions it doesn’t need. Why would a calorie-tracking app need access to your phone’s mic or contacts? Be picky. Unless it’s essential (like for a running app), turn off location tracking.
Limit sharing: Many apps sync with other platforms, like social media. Do yourself a favor and turn off those integrations. You can normally do this in an app’s Settings or Connected Apps menu.
Delete old data: Some apps and devices let you delete stored data. Clean house occasionally, especially when you’ve stopped using an app.
Be wary: If an app is free, your data is probably the real price you’re paying. Always dig into how the app makes its money.
Ask questions: If your employer or insurance company offers perks for wearing a tracker, ask what they do with the data. Check if participation is mandatory and if opting out affects your premiums or benefits. If you have the agreement terms, use Ctrl + F to search for words and terms like “tracking,” ”analytics” or “data sharing.”
My secret weapon against data sharing
Let’s face it: No matter what, your data will end up in someone else’s hands. That’s why I use Incogni. This service finds all the sketchy people-search and data-broker sites where your personal information is listed and submits requests to remove it.
Since setting up my account, Incogni has removed my info from 386 different data-broker and people-search sites. I love getting regular progress updates and knowing my information stays off these sites for the long haul.
👉 Ready to reclaim your privacy? I negotiated a 60% discount on Incogni just for you. Take back your privacy today. If you don’t like the results, Incogni comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Tags: Apple, data, fitness trackers, Incogni, personal data, privacy, security, smart devices
Share:
