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| Science & Technology | |||
| Pentagon probes fitness-app use after map shows sensitive sites | |||
| 2018-01-30 | |||
The map, made by Strava Labs, shows the movements of its app users around the world, indicating the intensity of travel along a given path. In large cities and well-known locations, the highlighted routes are hardly surprising. But paths that were illuminated inside desert compounds in the Middle East or around holy warrior-held cities made it clear the data were being gleaned from military users. "We are going to take a look at the Department-wide policy to ensure that we have operational security and force protection," Pentagon front man Colonel Rob Manning told news hounds. "Recent data releases emphasize the need for situational awareness."
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... (IS) group are highlighted in detail. Similarly in Syria, what appear to be bases in the north -- where US troops are aiding local partners in the fight against IS -- are lit up brightly against an otherwise darkened background. The concentration of activity at a base or along a patrol route could be used by holy warrior groups to plan attacks on military personnel. Manning said the review would look at the use of all wearable electronics and smartphones. He said commanders already have the tools at their disposal to ensure "force protection." "DoD personnel are advised to emplace strict privacy settings on wireless technologies and applications, and such technologies are forbidden at specific DoD sites and during specific activities," he said. Manning said he was not aware of any request to Strava to take down its map. But the issue could have been fairly easily avoided. According to Strava, "athletes with the Metro/heatmap opt-out privacy setting have all data excluded" from the mapping project.
[m.calcalistech.com] The Israeli military has recently published new directives concerning the use of smartwatches, prohibiting activation of location sharing functions, according to an email sent to Calcalist by the military’s Spokesperson Unit Monday. The military will examine the use of Strava’s service, "and will issue relevant directives to soldiers as it sees fit," according to the statement. | |||
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #2 It's not actually the fitness aps that are the problem; it's second and third party data mining that you give blanket permission for. You know, like Google and Facebook... |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2018-01-30 14:26 |
| #1 Gee, maybe they will re-institute group PT instead of scheduling buddy runs. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2018-01-30 05:08 |