Concerned about AccuWeather app

[maximillianh]

Will I be able to delete the AccuWeather app, or otherwise disable it to stop it from selling my precise location data?

http://www.zdnet.com/article/accuweather-still-shares-precise-location-with-advertisers-tests-reveal...

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MatthewFitbit]

@maximillianh The Weather app on Ionic is unique to Fitbit, and not the same as the app in that article. If you don't want to see weather information on your Ionic, you can uninstall the Ionic Weather app.

[maximillianh]

Thanks, that's great. Can you confirm that the Ionic Weather app does not share location data with third-party advertisers?

[MatthewFitbit]

@maximillianh Fitbit does not sell any personal user data, or share it without consent. You can read specifics here.

[bbarrera]

@MatthewFitbit the Fitbit privacy policy isn't the question, although I'd like to point out that the privacy policy link you provided states that Fitbit is allowed to sell aggregated data. And that AccuWeather claims the location data it sells is aggregated/anonymous. 

I don't think there is a simple answer to this question. Beyond Fitbit TOS and Privacy Policy, 3rd party app developers signup to App Gallery Guidelines, Platform Terms of Service, and App Distribution Agreement. I've briefly looked at the first two, couldn't find the App Distribution Agreement.

[MatthewFitbit]

@bbarrera @maximillianh To elaborate on this a bit further: AccuWeather does not have access to any Fitbit user data. Fitbit servers receive location requests from the user, and then we make our own forecast requests to the AccuWeather service to provide weather information through the Weather app. Fitbit effectively serves as the intermediary, and AccuWeather does not receive direct access to any Fitbit user data.

Hopefully that allays any concerns. Fitbit takes privacy very seriously, and is committed to protecting user data.

[bbarrera]

And to elaborate on my point, Ionic apps are capable of obtaining GPS location and sending location to a remote server.

The original case of AccuWeather app on a phone was that it sent GPS location and WiFi BSSID to a remote server.

In both cases there is no user data being sent.

edit: p.s. this is a risk we take using Internet connected devices, whether its your phone or TV. Its not a problem if we can uninstall or disable apps that we don't want

[Rich_Laue]

Did you read @MatthewFitbit reply? Tye Accuweather app on the ionic sends its request to ditbit, not a third party server. Fitbit then asks what the weather is in the area in question. At best accuweather will know that Fitbit is asking for the weather in an area.Acuweather will not know if it is for one person or 100 people.

[Rich_Laue]

Did you read @MatthewFitbit reply? Tye Accuweather app on the ionic sends its request to fitbit, not a third party server. Fitbit then asks what the weather is in the area in question. At best accuweather will know that Fitbit is asking for the weather in area. My thinking it will be more like a request from news media to give a weather report.

[Drakermom]

I have not found any way to remove the Fitbit weather app. The remove option is not available. i wouldn't care, but it dosn't work anyway. Constantly tells me to sync, no matter how often I do.

[supersmart01234]

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@Rich_Lauewrote:

Did you read @MatthewFitbit reply? Tye Accuweather app on the ionic sends its request to ditbit, not a third party server. Fitbit then asks what the weather is in the area in question. At best accuweather will know that Fitbit is asking for the weather in area. My thinking it will be more like a request from news media to give a weather report.

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#ditbit rules.Forget Fitbit 

Lol

[Rich_Laue]

I know it says to sync, but iIfind a normslnsync does not help. The weather app needs to communicate with the Fitbit app. 

If I'm really having problems iIxhange the order of the towns I've chosen, this seems to force a weather update .

[Drakermom]

Thanks. Will try that. Still wish it was possible to remove the app.