Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Strava gives users privacy control over key information with its latest update.
- Users can now hide the start or end of the run at any location or hide their map entirely.
- You can also hide biometric data and jot down private notes.
- Subscribers will find it easier to find and access personalized stat maps.
Strava might be “the social network for athletes,” but like with any social media, privacy becomes a concern sooner or later. With its latest update, Strava gives users control over the information they want to share and hide key location data from the public.
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Strava already lets you hide your home address with the option to set up a privacy zone. A key change with the new update is the ability to hide any other start/end location as well. Like the privacy zone setting, you can hide up to one mile at either the start or end of your run. With enough maps and location info, it’s not hard to pinpoint places a person frequents, but this should be a welcome update anyway.
Taking things to the next level, you will now be able to hide your map entirely. Not only will your friends and followers not see a map, but it will also hide this data from the Global Heatmap and will basically not be available anywhere on Strava. You can, of course, see your activity and map on the app. But any part of the map, or the whole map if you so choose, will be greyed out to show what is being hidden. Keep in mind that these new privacy features will only apply to future uploads after it is set up.
It’s not just the route map that you can hide. Strava is also adding the option to hide biometric data, pace, and power. The update also adds a Private Notes section for athletes to add thoughts that remain separate from their public story. You can find this new option in the top right corner of the mobile app when viewing your activity. On the web, you can find it via the pencil icon on the left side of the screen.
Finally, Strava is also introducing an easier way to find Personalized Stat Maps for subscribers. This will let you select and view polylines based on key data like heart rate, pace, elevation, and more. You could do this before by using specific hashtags like #elevationmap. The update makes it easier to preview and select them now.
Strava is already one of the best fitness apps you can find, particularly for runners and cyclists. These new privacy features should make things better for anyone uncomfortable with sharing so much information on the platform.
