The FBI has released a fitness app aimed at people “looking for tips for indoor workouts” — and it turns out the app can access your precise location and the photos and files on your USB drive, among other privacy invasions.
“Want to be an FBI special agent or just see if you can meet the physical fitness requirements?” the app’s description on the Google Play store reads.
“Test your fitness level with the FBI Physical Fitness Test app and do push-ups, run, and test your sit-up ability, just like special agents do.
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“The FBI’s Physical Fitness Test app provides a detailed, insider look at how to complete each component of the test, including sit-ups, push-ups, a 300-meter sprint, a 1.5-mile run, and pull-ups.”
But then there’s this: “Can work with a phone’s global positioning system and accelerometer for a more realistic experience.”
It turns out this, among other privacy invasions in the FBI app’s permissions, weren’t that popular with people on social media:
As you can see by clicking on the pictures, the permissions the app asks for include giving the app access to your “approximate location (network-based)” and “precise location (GPS and network-based).”
They also include giving it access to your photos and files on your USB drive, as well as the ability to receive data from the internet and to view your network connections.
Also at the bottom, in small print: “Updates to FBI FitTest may automatically add additional capabilities within each group.”
This did not go over well on Twitter, because people have almost no trust left in the FBI after the era of James Comey and FISA warrants gone bad.
That said, this is a federal agency that has essentially shot its reputation. People generally don’t trust authority, and they particularly don’t trust it in the era of James Comey and FISA warrants.
You don’t want to trust anyone in government with your location, your photos, your data or your network connections.
