Thanks for the update. I saw the ability to logon through Google, but only thought they had some kind of alliance and didn’t know that Google bought them. The only things I use Google for G-Mail for verifications and websites that require emails that I only intend to use once and for shared calendar events. I use it for a throw away address that I never check and have filter set up to delete everything in the Junk folder to be deleted long with most of my inbox immediately. For contacts I do want to get mail from, I use a forward and delete filter. I don’t use Google Drive unless that’s the only way to access something someone sent me, which I then move to another cloud. I do use Google Maps (since many websites have no other option), but I use it without logging in and regularly log into Google to delete all map data. Storing data is already turned off, but they still collect data about map searches. I don’t use Goggle Drive or any of the Google office apps. I don’t use the Chrome browser. I have a Facebook account, only when someone contacts me and that’s the only way to respond to them and my response is not to contact me through Facebook again. Duck Duck Go is a much better search engine with no privacy issues and I use Proton for email who being in Europe actually have privacy laws that protect the individual and not the corporations like the US has.
In short, I’ve tried to wean myself totally off of Google. It appears that I will now have to find an alternative to FitBit. I’ve used it for well over a decade and they’ve likely already taken our data, but we should be able to go through the Google site and support to have that information deleted. I have no intention of being in the Google Metaverse and all of you should question whether you’re comfortable giving over all your information to a company that only intends to exploit it. It may as well be on the Dark Web for what they will be using it for since all of your information will be for sale to anyone who wants it. We need to also put pressure on our representative to pass legislation that has teeth in it to protect individual privacy rights like the European Union has done. Then if Google wants to exploit your privacy, then they’ll be facing hefty fines and restrictions like they already do in countries where that is against the law.
It’s a shame, but as soon as I can find a good alternative, I’ll stop using FitBit and ask them to delete all my data so I can cancel my account with them. Having most of your information in a single basket is dangerous and makes you much less secure to data breaches and endless increasing amounts of spam. This is a great opportunity for alternatives to FitBit to up their game reach out to convert as many Fitbit users as possible over to their platform. I’ll start my search for an alternative immediately and will not be on FitBit when the full conversion gets forced on everyone. All good things come to an end. It’s time to look at alternatives and jump ship.
I think we need to start a thread about FitBit alternatives. They’ll likely delete it, but not before enough users realize that it’s not the only game in town and that they don’t have to be pawns in the Metaverse.
