Want to Learn More About Data Security Behind Your Fitness App?

Do you track your steps, calories or any other fitness measurement? You are not alone! The global market for Fitness Apps was valued at US$12.1 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach US$25.8 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 13.5% from 2024 to 2030 according to one of the latest reports from ResearchandMarkets.Fitness Apps are typically not thought of as a core part of the traditional Life Science industry itself, but rather a component of the broader health and wellness industry and a growing field within applied health sciences. However, Fitness Apps interact with the outcomes of Life Sciences research (human health, physiology, weight management), they primarily exist at the intersection of technology (software development, AI), business (commercial apps), and public health initiatives. Given this interaction, projected market growth of Fitness Apps, and likelihood our readers are using a Fitness App themselves, we thought you would be interested in learning more. To help us understand key concepts in this space, especially in regard to our data, I interviewed Patrick Lutz, a recent graduate of Rutgers University’s School of Communication & Information. Patrick majored in Cybersecurity and earned minors in Digital Communication, Information and Media in addition to Critical Intelligence. He completed the following Digital Capstone project on The Digital Age's Effect on Health and Fitness Apps.During the interview, I asked Patrick multiple questions. For purpose of this article, I only included the following 3 questions and his responses. Patrick is passionate about this space and Cybersecurity in general. He is on top of the latest trends and an excellent resource. If you have additional questions, I encourage you to connect with him on LinkedIn.‍Would you comment on Data Privacy in the Fitness App Industry, Data Breaches, and share some tips on protecting our Data?Data is any specific information about a person that a company may find valuable, as it can help them offer a more efficient and personalized user experience. In the future, lawmakers hope to alter the rights a person’s data has, such as the right to be forgotten and erased, or the right to access, which would allow a user to learn what specific data an organization has collected. For example, according to the 2024 article “The Trade-Off Between Using Fitness Apps and Data Privacy Concerns” by Kurt Knutsson, “They found that all these apps collect an average of 15.2 data points each, with Fitbit being the most data-hungry app with 21 data points collected.” These apps collect location data, along with users’ email addresses and names.Here are a couple of tips that may help you protect your data with simple changes. Always monitor your social media accounts. If you aren’t comfortable sharing certain details about your life, you may wish to use stronger privacy controls in the settings. Some apps may request your personally identifiable information (PII), but in many cases, users can still use the product while revealing as little as possible about themselves. Try to pay attention to the specific laws that apply to your location, as some countries allow citizens to monitor how corporations gather their data. Some locations in the United States allow citizens to register their phone numbers on a do-not-call registry, thereby restricting the number of robocalls they receive. Limiting app permissions can help limit access to certain data that shouldn’t be required for it to function. Some of these examples can help reduce the risk of certain data being exposed in unavoidable scenarios, such as a data breach. MyFitnessPal, although an app I use daily, has seen its share of data breaches, including one in 2018 that exposed 150 million accounts (MyFitnessPal, 2018).Can you share with our readers what PII is and share tips for protecting it?Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any type of information that can be utilized to identify an individual. This can range from a user’s name, email address, phone number, and address, to even gender. There are typical occasions when you would expect to give an app or website your address or phone number, but sometimes, they may ask you specific personal questions that, overall, do not seem necessary for the service. Often, the site may seek to sell any information it can find about you to third parties, and in many cases, a person may be in an unavoidable situation where they are the victim of a data breach or hacking. Some apps may ask for your permission to track your location, access your contact information, or determine your gender. While in some situations it may be necessary, many apps will work perfectly fine if you refuse to accept any of these agreements. Some fitness apps that may ask for your age, weight, and gender make sense. However, other aspects, such as your race or sexual orientation, should not be relevant to getting the most out of an app (Godman, 2021). Do your best to avoid clicking on any unknown links or ads found in apps, as they may capture your email and, in worst-case scenarios, lead to malicious pages that aim to steal your information. While it may not be easy to keep track of the number of passwords we use, it is important to avoid repeating the same password (Knutsson, 2024).What is your favorite Fitness App and why?My favorite fitness apps I use daily are Strava and MyFitnessPal. Although both apps offer a subscription service that lets users get the most out of the experience, they both provide a sufficient experience for anyone who prefers using them for free. MyFitnessPal is very helpful for tracking what I eat daily and following the goals I set for myself. A user can modify the app experience to help follow through on their goals, like a specific calorie intake or, for me personally, keeping track of how much protein I intake throughout the day. Admittedly, it also helps me keep track of what I have been eating throughout the month and see what I should potentially reduce, since I tend to forget what I have eaten after a couple of days. Strava, I typically use 2-4 times a week to keep track of my weekly running routine. The app is very helpful in laying out a route to run and keeping track of how long it takes me each time. After using this app, I have considerably improved my time miles for a couple of minutes, which has only motivated me to get better in the future. It also gives you the opportunity to follow friends on the app and compare each other’s statistics, along with running routes.These questions with Patrick just scratched the surface of data security and Fitness Apps. We hope they inspire you to think more about this space. As Life Science Project Managers, we typically are the unsung heroes behind a successful product, launch, etc. Such is the case for Project Managers who work on Fitness Apps. They orchestrate the journey from concept to launch, ensuring that every stage—defining the app’s scope, managing timelines and budgets, and coordinating cross-functional teams (developers, designers, marketers)—runs smoothly and efficiently. And, in today’s rapidly evolving market, Project Managers working on these Apps must also anticipate and mitigate risks, such as fierce competition, shifting user expectations, and emerging privacy regulations. Their expertise in methodologies like Agile and the use of Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) allows for continuous feedback and adaptation, ensuring that new features align with real user needs and the latest trends, such as personalization and data privacy.Moreover, Project Managers play a crucial role in embedding security and privacy best practices into the development process of Apps, responding proactively to concerns about data breaches and the protection of personally identifiable information (PII). By championing user-centric design and ethical data handling, they help deliver apps that not only engage and motivate users but also safeguard their trust and well-being. The next time you download a Fitness App to track your goals, remember that a dedicated Project Manager was behind the scenes - balancing innovation, compliance, and user experience to bring that app to your fingertips.References:

1. Godman, H. (2021, September 1). Mobile health and fitness apps pose privacy risks. Harvard Health Publishing.
2. Knutsson, K. (2024, October 3). The trade-off between using fitness apps and data privacy concerns. Cyberguy.
3. MyFitnessPal, Inc. (2018, April 2). MyFitnessPal account security issue: Frequently asked questions. MyFitnessPal.

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