Apps
The FBI is pushing a home-workout app that tracks your location and WiFi network
Why would you ever willingly download an app from the FBI?
There are plenty of things to worry about as we all deal with the coronavirus pandemic, and now, there’s apparently something new to worry about – the FBI tracking you through a home-workout app that it is currently promoting.
With more of us staying indoors and away from the gym, the FBI has been promoting its exercise app on social media. Called FitTest, it offers some basic functionality on exercises and form, but it’s what it is doing behind the scenes that has people talking.
According to Business Insider and others on social media, the app collects data from users, including location and WiFi information. The FBI notes that this data is only stored on the users’ phone and not transmitted to the FBI, but it’s some of the other details regarding the app that make the whole situation even more unsettling.
#MondayMotivation Are you looking for tips for indoor workouts? Download the #FBI’s Physical Fitness Test app to learn proper form for exercises you can do at home like pushups and situps. https://t.co/8rwfqVBIc0 pic.twitter.com/uzOekmIpdK
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— FBI (@FBI) March 23, 2020
Basically, different parts of the app will send you to the FBI’s website, which features an entirely different privacy policy. That privacy policy states that “individuals using this computer system are subject to having all of their activities monitored and recorded.”
Business Insider points out that it isn’t exactly clear which sections of the app fall under the app’s privacy policy and which fall under the more broad FBI.gov policies. So, obviously, you can see the issue here.
Back in 2018, security professionals talking with CNBC also noted that the language the app used in regards to privacy was convoluted, making it difficult to know exactly what information was being tracked.
Yeah, maybe I’ll just stick to YouTube videos for the time being…
What do you think? Surprised by this information regarding the FBI’s workout app? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
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