My thoughts about the Fitbit app and Google migration

[tidal]

The privacy and personal information issues are of huge concern or should be do all who have bought a Fitbit watch - in my case a Charge 6. I had a Versa 2 but it burned out literally. For a 1/3 discount, I bought a Charge 6. What could go wrong? 

1. Trying to "add" the Charge 6 to my Fitbit account on an iPhone, the message prompts me to "first move your account to Google." It states "should" move account. But, that should is stronger than the word implies. When I selected "maybe later" the app recycles me back to the beginning. Effectively, there is no way to proceed without migrating your Fitbit account to Google. Wait! It gets worse. 

2. Out of curiosity having at this point decided I do not want a product from a company that forces me to make decisions I don't want to, I select "proceed" to continue the migration of my account to Google. I'm then told "are you sure you want to leave this screen?" I'm not sure but have no choice. I'm then taken to another screen where there's information about the meaning of Fitbit being Google. I "get started." I then choose my Google account. I then "review and confirm" my Fitbit setup. 

3. Now, the cautionary language happens. "Fitbit profile info, like your height and weight, will move to your Google account along with your health and wellness data..." Hmmmm.....do I want Google computers to know this much about me. I'm fine with my docs knowing this information but a sales and marketing behemoth....not so much. For curiosity sake, knowing I'm not going to complete this registration, I continue. 

4. I decline allowing Google Fitbit to inundate me with "news, updates, research invitations...." And, now get to the clincher - Step 3 which states "Review how Google uses Fitbit data and agree to move." I'm given the invitation to continue with this "take a moment to learn what information will be collected about you, how it's used, and the privacy controls available to you." I'm thinking at this point the best privacy control that I have is not to allow them to have my information in the first place. Granted, there is language that states "your Fitbit health and wellness data won't e used for Google Ads....." Do we really believe behemoth Google has our best interests at heart in the use of very personal and specific data of our fitness and health? How long have you had your blinders on? 

5. There are then multiple more steps to which you must agree; there is no negotiation. Sound familiar? 

6. This leaves me and hopefully others with the questions - when is too much too much? When are we consumers going to say "enough!" Or, are we going to proceed with the next bright and shiny object being led off cliffs into an abyss of now knowing who and what knows everything about us?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[gdio53]

@JohnFReiss 

The $79.99 is for Fitbit Premium and has been around since September, 2019.

[KDBW]

My Fitbit no longer holds a charge more than three days. And the app
doesn't work at 20%. The old one worked until the charge was zero and a
charge lasted a week or more. This device is not a year old and I only use
the fitbit option. I went to rate it on Amazon and the company would not
let me mention any of this. It was against "Community Guidelines".

[CamGM]

Exactly!!!!!

[SBThomas2010]

Well apparently you do loose data if Fitbit thinks your original account is managed by a company and will not let you transfer years of metrics.

[Sarahdonis]

Hmmm…… I too recently replaced my Fitbit, and was dismayed to learn of the change.  I still haven’t figured out some of the functions of my Fitbit, but I have used and appreciated the ones I have.   For the sake of investigation, I signed on the Google replacement, didn’t like it, I found it demanded to much info, and I found the stats incorrect.   Given the opportunity, I wiped out the Google replacement, and was able to return to my Fitbit app.   We have until February 2026.  I kicked the can down the road.         Thank you for starting this thread!

[Jpct]

I would sooner swallow my fitbit whole than give google access to my medical information. They are an advertising company that happens to allow you to use certain tools that they have created.

The capricious changes in the app, since being absorbed by Google, are exactly in line with Google other apps. No warning on major changes, no way to opt out, etc.

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Moderator edit - word choice 

[gateswood]

I opened a new google account a while back, complete with gmail, for the purpose of complying with this impending requirement to transfer. Now I've started reading up on this. Nice to know it's not required until feb. 26.

If you never told fitbit who you were, it's not a big deal transferring to google if you didn't bother to tell them who you are either.

[CamGM]

Thank you, totally agree. I don't understand how anyone could think
differently.
G-M

[pjpjr]

In my day gig I have been involved with multiple migrations of data, with many of them being driven by mergers and acquisitions.  I have some general comments.

Excluding some governed, regulated, etc. data, different companies simply store and manage data in different ways.  When companies merge, a negative is it can take time to integrate this data from different systems into a single new version.  A positive is there are distinct points in time where data from both systems is frozen and can be accessed as it was.  The result is a way to redo or retry any migration; although the probability of this happening tends to decrease as time passes.

If a entity's website has a top level domain of .com, it most likely exists to make a profit.  In my experience, none of these entities are trying to isolate consumers.  Most of the time it is some balancing act where the goal is to retain all existing consumers, while trying to attract new consumers.  If one considers this, it can present some challenges.  These entities tend to focus on the desires and needs common to both types of consumers.

Regarding my data, I do not have the time, or the legal education, to effectively sift through every agreement I have to acknowledge to utilize a product.  Yet as a consumer, I always have the ability, and choice, to not pay for and utilize any product I may have concerns about.

Again, the above is solely based on my experience.  Your experience may be different.

[Sammohc]

It’s wild to me that so many people have just given up their privacy with zero fight. This shift is alarming. More alarming that people don’t seem to care or n don’t realize how easy it’ll be for your health data to be in one place. Maybe our memories are so short but not that long ago it used to be impossible to get insurance because of preexisting conditions. My concern is for a version of the world where suddenly how healthy or unhealthy I am could be used against me in the future.

Yea google has owned Fitbit for 5 years but if we didn’t need to do this before, why now?

[pjpjr]

@Sammohc It is unfortunate, however if we read the Software License Agreement for every operating system and application we utilize, I surmise we would discover we gave up on our privacy somewhere in the 90's.  If not then, I am confident it happened by 2002.

[heathrk]

I feel like you work for google LOL 😆

[pjpjr]

Nah, but I have spent the past 30+ years at my day gig on that side of similar issues.  Only trying to coax out of our community a little of what, in my experience, has helped me resolve similar issues.

[Annaline]

If they already have the information, why dont they leave it the heck alone so i dont have to change anything

[MarriahS]

The privacy and WHO has access to all of these metrics is EXTREMELY worrying & beyond problematic. Google decided to change the name of an international body of water on its maps bc of the overreach, misuse & abuse of power that the executive branch has continued to coerce & fear monger upon all in the way of their hateful agendas. The current HHS secretary has already told the world about his goals to use data from fitness trackers & smart watches for whatever nefarious intentions he has that are NOT rooted in science nor the dignity of individuals. Hr has a timeline hes projected about when "everyone in America will be wearing wearables..." & he'll have access to all of that data for his own agenda. Most women had already stopped using all digital menstruation trackers after the laws of bodily autonomy were unconstitutionally changed. & this "administration" has already made its intentions very clear if you are any one of the groups of HUMANS that they deem "undesirables." For those of use who dont feel safe with this strong arm Coercion of "switch your account to Google or lose your account & all of our own data." What return policy will you guys implement? Can we trade in our fitbit devices for a decent value (at minimum half of what we paid for the retail value when these items were at peek pricing) for visa gift cards to use however we see fit? Considering we bought these devices under one agreement & fitbit changed things afterwards without our consent. If we are allowed to maintain the account without using the email service they're bullying people into using... there's no reason to force us to do so that actually benefits the CUSTOMER. If their IT dept is so incompetent that they can't handle us having these accounts linked to a non-google email service & they've also shown an inability to respect privacy or objective facts... how can we trust this company going forward? With even our most sensitive data being stolen by the wealthiest man on the planet without the correct credentials or approvals but simply a pass to do as he players bc he contributed about HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS towards putting a specific person into a position that he was ineligible for... & other wealthy people seeing to harvest our data in other evils ways with more evil intentions... how does fitbit GUARANTEE any sort of privacy & that no one gets our data unless we, as individuals go through an individual process & they get it with only our enthusiastic consent. But not like this.

[heathrk]

Why is it that people feel the need to bring politics into every single
conversation, topic, and/or issue.

[Sarahdonis]

probably because of the all-encompassing nature of current politics.......

[JOHNNYSCAT]

My problem is I HATE having to learn new systems. Can you tell me if accessing your data and the use of your Fitbit on your iPhone changes at all. I'm one of those, if it ain't broke, don't fix it people. If its going to require a new operating system I know I'll hate it. That's why I've been putting off moving mine to Goolge.

Thanks for your input. 😊

[JOHNNYSCAT]

How the heck do we find out if they are going to charging a $79.99 fee? If thats a fact, I'm done with with FitBit and I've been using it since 2013. I will be very disappointed. 😞

[Tovli]

are you talking about the premium fee? $79, If so, it is optional and was also something you could access before google bought fitbit. It is optional and often is available for free for 6 mos.