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Concerns Regarding Strava Bike Mapping May 26 2015, 0 Comments

Portland joins Glasgow, London, Orlando and others to map its riders.  While this sampling should capture over 5 million miles of riding before it is finished, there are some major concerns.

Strava, the app being used, is a smartphone app.  While many bicyclists ride and record their journeys with strava, this only applies to those who are a. using smartphones b. using smartphones consistently and c.using this particular app.  Economically those who use smartphones are more likely to already have a voice, so the data collected will likely be skewed toward those with more means and away from those with greater transportation needs.  Many people who bike using smartphones do not use them consistently (or lose charge!).  There are lots of apps, and granted, strava is among the most popular it is not alone in the market; though the app reports that users record 2.5 million activities (including running) each week.

There are also some big privacy concerns.  Many people prefer not to have their data recorded and/or purchased by government entities even if the promised result could be helpful.  With all the potential uses of personal information, there are folks who would much rather not participate.

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Concerns Regarding Strava Bike Mapping Posted on May 26, 2015

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