As I have used the app Strava, I have really grown to appreciate how the app has helped me, and it has become an essential part of my routine. However, I won’t act like the app is perfect since, in my research, I have learned that the app has had its fair share of controversies in the past couple of years. One problem that the app may have unexpectedly caused itself is that it may be a little too accurate when it comes to specific data. One of the features of Strava is that it allows users to post details and even maps of their current and previous runs, allowing other users to view and check out their results. At face value, this is used to promote a sense of community with the apps’ fellow users and possibly help push competition with others. However, a potential downside is that this data does allow people to learn about your location. This feature may potentially be dangerous in the hands of someone who is looking to stalk someone or hurt someone. There are multiple examples of this occurring, such as the death of a former Russian submarine captain named Stanislav Rzhitsky, who, according to an investigation, “the killer could have tracked Capt. Rzhitsky's runs on Strava as he regularly followed the same route while running.”
Another case involving Strava showed the app’s heatmap accidentally revealing the information of certain Israeli soldiers in multiple bases throughout the country. An anonymous suspect may have used Strava’s segment feature to create a list of soldiers and military personnel who happened to be at that particular base. As mentioned in the Forbes article, “Taking the names from the fake Segments, FakeReporter could quickly find more personal details about the Israeli soldiers, including family members, home addresses, colleagues, and travel history. Altogether, FakeReporter identified at least one hundred Israelis through the Segments.” Now, this isn’t the app’s fault, as the military personnel does have some blame for this oversight, but it is concerning knowing that the app can be exploited like this. Overall, these examples aren’t common for the average user or even the majority, but it is important to understand that this can happen.
Brown, A. (2022, June 21). Security Flaw In Strava, A Social Fitness App, Exposed Identities Of Israeli Soldiers At Military Bases. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2022/06/20/strava-fitness-app-israeli-mossad-data-breach-security-hack-segments/
Field, M. (2024, June 15). How ‘Strava stalkers’ drove fitness apps to protect female joggers. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/06/15/strava-stalkers-fitness-apps-women-running-safety/?msockid=1b43054c011c606a3ea216cf006e61cc
Wright, G. (2023, July 11). Ukraine war: Russian ex-navy commander shot dead while jogging in Krasnodar. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66162502
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