The report also identifies a general pattern of careless security as well as the ability to generate false data. The researchers observed that consumers are likely to be misled and confused, overestimating the extent of security measures and underestimating “the breadth of personal data collected by fitness tracking companies.” As they concluded, “We discovered severe security vulnerabilities, incredibly sensitive geolocation transmissions that serve no apparent benefit to the end user, and… policies leaving the door open for the sale of users’ fitness data to third parties without express consent of the users.”

Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Cap…, loc. 779