Thoughts about Google Acquisition

[RickOH28]

You just lost me as a customer.  You guys took the money and ran.  Good for you and Big Tech, but bad for competition and the little guy.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[FitbitUser115]

I am with you....gently used Ionic For Sale!

[SunsetRunner]

Same here!  I have been working on getting away from all Google and Facebook platforms.  Google is too invasive when it comes to privacy.  Gonna shop around for a replacement smart watch now.  I used to have an Apple Watch and switched to Fitbit and liked if more, but with this news I am done.

[SunsetRunner]

Mine is too!  Good luck on the next one.

[SunsetRunner]

No more fitbit for me! I'm tired of Google owning everything. Getting rid of my data, smashing my fitbit tomorrow. Goodbye fitbit!

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Odyssey13]

@SunsetRunner   if you are concerned about your privacy, why use your own image for your avatar? You're already online and posting in other places, aren't you? Social media, own any property? Our names and addresses, even photos of our residences pop up online. If you were enjoying using your Fitbit, why let a change in ownership deter you.

[Atomic77]

@Odyssey13 This change is not going to change me any. I still love Fitbit and I also like google. I sure hope they know what they are doing and not Distroy the Fitbit Brand. I don't know why Swit9 would say what she did.

[Odyssey13]

Hi @Atomic77 . Every company acquisition is different. I would think Google will let Fitbit continue as it had and not do too much to change things for the customers. As long as there are customers who are content and new people buying the products, I wouldn't see much changing at all. Glad you like your Fitbit!

[Username116]

There's a difference between choosing to place your name and avatar on a site, and having Google data mine your every interaction to sell it to third parties for a profit.  

[Username116]

I'm furious.  I just got my first Fitbit for Christmas, and now once again, my data is connected to Google.  This SUCKS.  

[Odyssey13]

Hi @Username116  your whole life can be found on the internet in some way. Buy a magazine and the publisher sells your information. Even the Division of Motor Vehicles sells your name. All businesses seem to share. I used to send in cards to ask for a catalog or go online to request a catalog and change the name I used to sign up. Always got several places sending things in the mail that I never asked for. You honestly can't escape it, so why not enjoy the device you have?

[Username116]

Why won't I enjoy my new Fitbit now?  Because I am a conservative, and Google actively works to suppress the views and speech of conservative thinkers.  They actively support branding conservatives as racists, bigots, misogynists and fascists.  THAT's why I won't enjoy my brand new Fitbit 😞  And that's also why I do my darnedest not to let them profit off of my information.  I wish I were more non-political and this buy-out didn't bother me, but I've reached the point where I am so tired of being branded as all of the things that I am not.  Best wishes with your fitness!

[SunsetRunner]

Amen Charles G273.

[SunsetRunner]

Nice of you guys to blindside your supporters with the Google acquisition news. Perfect timing, too, right after the big holiday shopping spree ...one last fling before you sold your souls. The only folks making out on this deal are the people who started fitbit; welcome to the "Billionaires Club" ...and thanks for screwing your faithful constituency. I was *EXCEPTIONALLY* angry to find fitbit is going to be just another Google "sensor" to track its users and mine even more deeply personal information. All that blah, blah in your email letter about how Google isn't going to use your personal health data is simply deferred cow kah-kah; you really don't think Google isn't going to use that stuff? Of course you do ...hell it was probably a selling point ...I'll give you credit for not being that daft to think otherwise. Nobody pays 2.1 BILLION dollars for a company making health trackers, unless the buyer feels they can get something a lot more valuable than selling fancy watches. It all looks good now on paper but in a few years ...or is it months ...when those "agreements" expire? You bet your bottom dollar Google is gonna cash in on selling fitbit's cache of biometric information to the highest bidder. The only people I trust less than our Federal Government is GOOGLE. I was going to replace my aging Charge 2 (LCD is fading fast) but now? I'm thinking not. I hope people drop fitbit in droves; but then it's not your problem any more. Brilliant move gentlemen ...enjoy your early retirement and all the money you made.

[SunsetRunner]

Because, Odyssey13, we have the *choice* at this point to say a big fat "NO" to Google. Sure, there's a lot of information about all of us floating around. However, a fitbit monitors personal, real-time, health information. Don't be so blind ...think about this for a minute. The military instructs/prohibits GI's on deployment *not* to use their fitbit devices because those with GPS offer up huge security threats to military operations. (because of the GPS function of the watch). Are you willing to have your personal, long-term, real-time, basic health data available to Google? What might that information be used for? Think about that. Oh sure, there's HIPPA criteria but do you think Google's banks of lawyers haven't figured out a way around that? It's quite common for potential employers to scan an individual's Facebook and Twitter accounts as part of an interview process. If a potential employer finds out, through seeing your long-term fitbit biometric data, you may have potentially high blood pressure how might that effect your chances for getting a particular job? Or, maybe you have a job, and your employer uses this health information in some nefarious way ...or your life insurance company sees it. You have no idea. And that is the scary part; nobody has *any* idea how this information will eventually be used and by whom. What other basic, personal health data is kept in your fitbit account? The information now belongs to Google. Nobody pays 2.1 BILLION dollars for a company making health trackers just so they can sell fancy watches.  

[Odyssey13]

@SunsetRunner  not sure how anyone was blindsided as the proposed purchase was announced November 2019 and was on the news. 

[SunsetRunner]

Well said!

[SunsetRunner]

Only the News you watch. I knew nothing till I received an email from Fitbit this morning. 

[Atomic77]

If you follow the technology world and news this acquisition was a long time in the making. We all knew something like this was going to happen we just didn’t know when. I don’t think anything bad will happen from this but there will be lawsuits much like Microsoft if anything comes along.

[73jcmo]

And this is why get to CANCEL them.

Moderator edit: personal info removed