Fitness apps are tracking more than just your workout

(WJAR) — Fitness tracking apps are a popular way to get in shape and hold yourself accountable, but they could be collecting more than just your workout data.

A new study from data protection company Incogni found that many of the most popular fitness tracking apps are collecting a ton of personal data that has nothing to do with fitness.

“What was a lot more concerning was that not everything, at a glance at least, makes sense,” explained Darius Belejevas, head of data protection at Incogni. “So for example, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation – it could be problematic to make a case for how this information on behalf of the app can help us achieve our goals.”

Something even more troubling? Many of these fitness apps are also sharing your data with third-party companies.

Want to opt out?

You can’t!

Incogni found that more than 70% of the collected data points are not optional.

“The risk here is that once it is in the hands of the data brokers, we lose any control over it,” Belejevas said. “And it can then be sold to marketing companies, it can be sold to government agencies, even malicious actors.”

Incogni found that Fitbit collects the highest number of data points, but BetterMe shares the most data.

Want to see how your favorite fitness app stacks up?

You can check out the full survey results here at the Incogni’s website.