Google is in the process of buying Fitbit for $ 2.1 billion, a move that some users say is leading … [+]
Google is in the process of buying Fitbit for $ 2.1 billion, and the move is making many people feel very uncomfortable. On November 17, CNBC reported that some Fitbit users had started looking for an alternative as soon as they heard about Google’s plans to acquire the firm.
Citing concerns about privacy, many were considering the Apple Watch as a safer option than their Fitbit. This is despite the fact that Google explicitly stated in its announcement that it would not sell people’s personal or health information.
Rick Osterloh, senior vice president, devices and services at Google said via a blog published November 1 that the deal would see the firm advance its ambitions for its smartwatch software Wear OS.
But on Twitter, security expert Tanya Janca said: “Dear @fitbit, I do not want my data that I consented to you collecting transferring to Google. With news of the acquisition of your company I intend to sell my Fitbit and delete my account. How do I ensure that none of the data I allowed you to collect ends up in their hands?”
I have contacted Google for comment and will update this story if it responds.
Can you trust Google with your health data?
So are people’s concerns valid? Perhaps so. Imagine the power you could, in theory, give to a firm whose search engine has collected all your late-night health related Googling, when it could combine this data with information collected on your Fitbit.
Of course, it could offer useful insights about your health, but it’s integral that you trust the firm collecting this highly sensitive data.
Google says it will follow the relevant privacy laws, which in Europe are governed by the fairly stringent EU Update to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, despite emerging privacy laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the U.S. is still far behind its European counterparts.
Last week it emerged that Google’s partnership with healthcare firm Ascension allowed it to access vast troves of U.S. citizen’s health data. The Wall Street Journal reported that the machine learning based project, codenamed Nightingale, was based on “tens of millions” of medical records secretly harvested by Google containing test results, prescriptions and more.
This information–which both Google and Ascension said complies with regulation–would apparently be used to create a tool for medical professionals to help diagnose conditions or prescribe drugs.
In the end, it comes down to who you trust. Google has come under fire from its own users before. Like its rivals Apple and Amazon, it was discovered that Google contractors were listening to recordings of its smart speaker device the Google Home.
Due to the close integration of its services, the Google Home has access to your Google searches, unless you specifically disable this in your privacy settings.
Meanwhile Google’s Chrome browser is also facing criticism after changes dubbed Manifest V3 that will soon prevent some ad blockers from working. Google says the changes will enhance user security, but many users have chosen to switch to Firefox before the changes take effect.
In a brave new world of data, firms such as Google and Facebook base their entire business models around users’ information. When breaches and scandals are taking place more often than ever, it’s not easy to work out who to trust.
Apple knows this and has started to make progress in the privacy stakes with a host of new features in iOS 13 and a website helping users to gain control of their data.
It’s therefore understandable that many users might think about swopping their Fitbit for an Apple Watch, despite the huge increase in price. People want smart devices to look after their health and well-being, but it’s time to consider how that data is used and ensure the big companies know users won’t stand for any abuse.