Remove requirement to allow Background Location Permission

[mata]

With the upgrade the app will no longer work unless Background Location Permission is allowed all the time, whether the app is in use or not. What possible justification do you have for that? Now Fitbit feels like spyware. Is this so Google can create location based advertising or what?

Moderator edit: Clarified subject

[Windy23]

Well, I guess that's it for me too. 

There's no justification whatsoever for background location services and the BTLE excuse is full-on bull**ahem**.  

@LizzyFitbit you can count me as one more who won't ever renew a monthly subscription over this issue.

[Rich_Laue]

Android, and eventual iOS added this requirement to there Operating Systems to protect your phones from being exploited. (without your knowledge)

This is a requirement of your operating system, not Fitbit. Sorry but the decision was not Fitbit's 

That is why

• smart lights,
• doorbell cameras,
• smart wall switches
• Smart Scales, Bluetooth printers, Baby Monitors,
• smart thetmostats.
• My BT thermometer for grilling
• Almost, if not, every smart device that Google and Alexa can control 
• Garmen Watches
• Pixel watches
• Connected cooking appliances 
• And more

They all need location permission because of Android and iOS requirements. 

[blankusername]

Rich_Laue, you're saying the same thing over and over like people can't read the 7 thousand other times you've mentioned this operation system requirement. 

People in this thread are unhappy about the location requirement now being 24/7 access. Having to give Fitbit the ability to access user location at any time is wildly different than giving location access while using the app. This means Fitbit controls the location access so can switch it on while users are sleeping, when they're out and about, when they're at work, etc etc, and all without the user knowing a thing. It's a completely unacceptable requirement just for user to sync to their device. This is 100% softlocking users out of their device. 

And please, for heaven sake, don't say Google wouldn't just take the location when ever they want and that it's a security measure for Fitbit/Google to protect it's users. We're talking about the company that silently removed their "don't be evil" slogan. They will absolutely take user location any time they see fit. 

And honestly Rich_Laue I'm sick of seeing your responses. Please stop shilling for Fitbit. Everyone in this thread thinks this permission change is ridiculous and are fuming about being softlocked from their data. None of your comments have addressed the concern that's been raised. 

Fitbit have not responded in an adequate way to the original post. At this point it's clear they're happy to strong arm users into giving up their personal information. And unless more people realise this and push back, Fitbit will get away with it. 

[Rich_Laue]

You will not get a response in this thread, simply because no one on this thread is responsible, or even know what the developers are thinking, for this decision!! that was made by Android in Android version 7 and recently by Apple. This is to protect the phone. You can googke 

Check your location access history for fitbit. You will see that fitbit does not request your location. This permission is for the OS to protect from BT 

Here is my location history, note know fitbit, even after forcing a sync 

 

[ms960]

Folks, ignore Rich_Laue.  I have Fitbit on my Android and it only requires access when I use the app, not all the time.  All I did was get a previous version of the app that existed before Fitbit made this decision.  In short, the fact that I can use Fitbit without requiring location settings be on all the time, on a current version of android means Fitbit made the decision and not Android.  Rich_Laue will say I'm risking my life because I'm opening myself to  potential security issues, but I'd rather run that risk (which I think is minimal) than have Fitbit track my all the time.

[NOGPS]

I purchased my fit bit back in 2022. I haven't been paying attention to the sleep tracker for a couple of months. I checked a couple of days ago and it wasn't tracking my sleep. I checked again this morning and no sleep tracking. So I opened the app on my phone and discovered my GPS needs to be ALWAYS ENABLED for this app. Not just "when in use".

[NOGPS]

Google doesn't "fix things". They take a good product and make it worse. This is true of GOOGLE.COM - YOUTUBE.COM - GMAIL.COM - I am truly disheartened. I was a huge fan of google but their actions or lack of in recent years has changed this.

YOU DO NOT NEED MY GPS TO BE "ALWAYS ON". The product would sync just fine before this awful decision to require 24/7 access to my GPS location.

I will never purchase another GOOGLE product. Just like youtube and their browser with poor spell correction, this product went down hill, a shell of it's former self.

[NOGPS]

YOU DO NOT NEED MY GPS TO BE "ALWAYS ON". The product would sync just fine before this awful decision to require 24/7 access to my GPS location. I can't even SYNC my fitbit unless GPS tracking is set to ALWAYS ON. This is an invasion of my privacy and I will not support it.

I will never purchase another GOOGLE product. Just like youtube and their browser with poor spell correction, this product went down hill.. A shell of its former self. Google doesn't "fix things". They take a good product and make it worse. This is true of GOOGLE.COM - YOUTUBE.COM - GMAIL.COM - I am truly disheartened. I was a huge fan of google but their actions or lack of in recent years has changed this.

[BarrieC]

I agree it is too messy.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @NOGPS, thanks for taking the time to share this product feedback about removing the requirement to set location services to Always for the Fitbit app with us. Because a similar product feedback was already requested on this board, I’ve moved your post here. Please support this product feedback by adding your vote, this helps our developers to keep tracking its popularity and demand over time.