If you are reading on a smartphone, use landscape / hold phone sideways.
Ah, bytes and bits. Fitbit! Got it.
The acquisition was scrutinized by regulators who were concerned over Google's access to personal data.
For some reason (too much time on my hands?) I went down the Fitbit Privacy Policy rabbit hole here: Fitbit.com/global/us/legal/privacy-policy and Fitbit.com/global/us/legal/privacy-policy.
Does anyone ever read this stuff? Like, other than 0.01% of the population? And, the real question is this: would there be anything in that legal stuff that would make anyone say "Hey! Wait a minute - no way!"
I wear my Fitbit pretty much 24 x 7. The only time I take it off is in the shower and when I need to charge it up. Fitbit (Google) knows everything about me now. They know my sleep patterns, my physical location, activity, heart rate, food plan, even how much water I drink (not enough). And, Fitbit.com/friends now has me in a local dog walking club. And I also know when and where MY FITBIT FRIENDS are located, and what they are doing (or not doing). There is an AMAZING amount of stuff found here at Healthsolutions.fitbit.com/blog for those who want to find out what is possible.
Folks, Google (and Facebook) knows everything. And - when you willingly "feed them" your personal data from things like Fitbit - well, that is over the top. When and where we are, what we are doing (dog park, shopping mall, office, home...) truly everything. Privacy is over. Especially when we willingly feed the machine.
"OK, Google, what is pie?" 3.14159265359.....
"OK, Google, can I BUY pie in Boonton, NJ?"
[ OK, Tom: here is a list...of bakeries near Boonton, NJ.] And now, on my personal Facebook page, up pops an ad for a local bakery in Boonton USA. Just like that, the wizards of both Google AND Facebook know that THIS Fitbit user is shopping for... pie.
As of this blog, COVID-19 is, well, back. Was it ever gone? Around 30% of the US population has NOT been vaccinated. That number is not moving. There is a very interesting post about COVID-19 and Fitbit here: Blog.fitbit.com/early-findings-covid-19-study. It talks about how Fitbit devices can identify signs of COVID-19 at its earliest stages. As of today, NHL and NFL teams are not playing scheduled games due to COVID-19.
Cardio, Strength Training, Walking, Running, Yoga, Recipes, Health Eating Strategies, Snaking Tips, Smart Food Shopping, Stress, Mindfulness, Sleep Tips...and where to buy pie. These are all available to me, and for anyone who wants to know about me.
The privacy train has left the station long ago. You can Google Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) all you want. Do you know who is NOT required to follow HIPAA? Life Insurers, Employers, Worker's Compensation Carriers, most schools and school districts, many state agencies, including child protective agencies, most law enforcement agencies, and many municipal offices.
Why not have my Fitbit "buzz" when I am in a COVID-19 hotspot? Why not have my Fitbit alert me when there is a "hint" of my having COVID-19 symptoms? Why not have my Fitbit talk to my primary care physician in real-time, 24x7? If my Fitbit can organize my Dog Park Walking Club, just imagine what it can do for a KICK COVID IN THE ASS Club?
I see 2.9M+ people today on the Facebook.com/fitbit page. I am sure the numbers are MUCH HIGHER on the Apple Watch pages.
"OK, Google, how many people wear an Apple Watch?" 100M+
Privacy is a joke. Deep in our hearts, we know that Google, Facebook and Apple (and Amazon, and Netflix, and...) already know EVERYTHING about us - especially when we willingly SEND THEM our most personal data. Might as well put Big Tech to work saving lives, full guns, all in, right?
Hey Big Tech: want to help your brand? KICK COVID'S ASS! For all of us. Thanks.
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