Popular applications are not without risks: “This is how bike thieves know where you work or live”

“Although privacy zones in sports apps are designed to protect your locations, research conducted by the DistriNet group at KU Leuven shows that this measure is often insufficient,” BeSafe reports.

Sports app users can thus reveal important data such as the location of their home, their route, and the distance they travel. “This information, in combination with a street map, can lead to precise location identification.”

Attractive to bike thieves

This not only threatens user privacy but also creates the risk of theft. “This flaw creates an attractive target for bike thieves. Once thieves realize that a user exercises regularly and know exactly where that user lives, that person becomes a potential target for bike theft.”

You can take action to reduce the risks. “Creating a privacy zone larger than one kilometer will better protect your personal sites from prying eyes.”

Private profile

It's also important to make your profile on the sports app private. “While it's fun to share your progress with friends, a private profile makes it harder for thieves to get your information. This way you can still stay in touch with friends, but your activities remain private to strangers.”

One way to beat thieves is to turn on the sports app only after you leave: “Do not turn on the sports app until you have cycled a short distance from home or work. This way it becomes more difficult for others to determine where you live or where you work.” a job.”