The Runkeeper app accused of spying runners – Le Figaro

Acclaimed by runners, the Runkeeper app transmit information even when it is inactive. The Norwegian Consumer Council files a complaint for breach of privacy.

Runkeeper fact he sprained confidentiality of personal data? The same argument the Norwegian Consumer Council (NCC), which lodged a complaint against the FitnessKeeper company, holder of the running application, with the Norwegian authority in charge of data protection. According to the NCC, Runkeeper, allowing its 45 million users to measure their performance in a sporting activity, violates European laws on protection of privacy.

In a report published May 10, the NCC criticizes Runkeeper geotag users outside sports sessions. The application has transmitted data a dozen times during the 48 hours that lasted their test, even though it was not on. In addition, information would be stored without time limits to then be sold to advertisers in the United States. These data would not be destroyed in case of account closure.

To discover the pot to the roses, the NCC conducted a study of 20 popular applications. “We take seriously our obligation to respect the laws on data protection, reacted Jason Jacobs, the president of the company FitnessKeeper, the website ArsTechnica. We are currently examining the issues raised in the complaint and we will cooperate with the Norwegian authorities. “

To sanction Runkeeper will be difficult for the Norwegian authorities. Resident in the United States and does not have a subsidiary in Europe, the company escapes effect to EU law. The same problem arises for Tinder, headquartered in Los Angeles. Blacklisting in March by the NCC, the dating application is accused of misusing data of its users.

Happn, concurrent application of French dating Tinder, is also in the viewfinder of the NCC. A study of the latter indicates that the personal information of its users are transferred to other companies in the United States. This led the association UFC-Que choose to ask, in February, the opening of an investigation to the National Commission on Informatics and Liberties. Happn had failed in its obligations to protect personal data. In March 2015, as revealed in Le Figaro , a loophole allowed to know the exact position of the user, while the application is intended to indicate an approximate geographic area.