Strava, Heatmap and Military Bases ... Ooops

[Psamathe]

Seems Strava are giving away the locations of military bases in Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan and other sensitive places. Right down to the level of favoured buildings, supply routes into the bases, patrol routes around the bases, etc.

Problem (apparently) comes because when you start with the app you are automatically subscribed into their global heatmap functionality. You can "unsubscribe" but that can only be done using the web interface. Even "enhanced privacy" does not stop your data being added to the global heatmap. So loads of keen fitness squaddies have been using the app and unknowingly submitting their data to the heatmap and "hotspots" are showing up where they are - in the military bases!

It's from a podcast from the BBC, starts at 7:05 from start of program. You don't need iPlayer of anything as it is published in podcast/mp3 format and can be downloaded http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/5/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-low/proto/http/vpid/p05wxgk6.mp3 (It's a radio program and the link is to download an mp3 for the entire program; the series is called Tech Tent; the download is 11.2MB; "item" starts 7:05 mins into the program)

Ian

[Mick F]

I looked at using Strava a while back, and saw that you can set the upload to ignore a radius from your home. The radius can be set variably at certain distances.
The thing is though, it wouldn't take much of a detective to zero in to your home location especially it where you ride has a sparse road system.

I could record my rides as normal, but edit out the bits between where I live and the main road. Only then would I upload.
.............. except I won't be.