{"id":31673,"date":"2019-11-06T15:24:47","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T15:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/packetstormsecurity.com\/news\/view\/30651\/Fitbit-Users-Fear-Privacy-Invasion-After-2.1bn-Google-Acquisition.html"},"modified":"2019-11-06T15:24:47","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T15:24:47","slug":"fitbit-users-fear-privacy-invasion-after-2-1bn-google-acquisition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/fitbit-users-fear-privacy-invasion-after-2-1bn-google-acquisition\/","title":{"rendered":"Fitbit Users Fear Privacy Invasion After $2.1bn Google Acquisition"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Google\u2019s recent acquisition of Fitbit for $2.1bn has left many users worried the tech giant may soon have access to their most intimate health information \u2013 from the number of steps they take each day to their breathing patterns, sleep quality or menstrual cycles.<\/p>\n

Fitbit, founded in San Francisco in 2007, tracks the health data of 28 million users. In a blogpost following the acquisition on Friday, Fitbit claimed user data would not be sold or used for Google<\/a> advertising. \u201cConsumer trust is paramount to Fitbit. Strong privacy and security guidelines have been part of Fitbit\u2019s DNA since day one, and this will not change,\u201d the company said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Still, dozens of Fitbit wearers complained on social media over the weekend about the Google takeover. \u201cI tossed my Fitbit into the trash today,\u201d one user tweeted. \u201cI intend to sell my Fitbit and delete my account,\u201d said another.<\/p>\n

Google already keeps a trove of information on people, including location data, search history and YouTube viewing history. The company also creates advertisement profiles of users based on information such as location, gender, age, hobbies, career, interests, relationship status, possible weight (need to lose 10lb in one day?) and income.<\/p>\n