10 yo wants fitness tracker but I have data privacy concerns!

[ZucchiniPie]

DS (age 10) is desperate for a smartwatch or fitness tracker, which I wasn't wild about because of not wanting to give away personal health data to some big corporation. He went on about it for so long, I agreed to buy a Xiaomi Band 6 as one of his friends has it. But now it's arrived, it's clear that - because it can't even be switched on without the app that first of all demands access to contacts, photos, you name it - I'd just be signing up to have my phone data hoovered up.

I tried creating a new Apple ID on an old phone which doesn't have a SIM in it anymore but that wouldn't make the Band switch on. So the thing is now languishing in its box and I'm refusing to proceed with it until I know more about it - much to DS's frustration!

Does anyone have any recommendations for smartwatches or fitness trackers that can be operated without everything going up to the cloud somewhere?

I know it sounds paranoid of me but if we end up one day with no NHS and all my son's health information has been sold by the company that recorded it, and then he can't get health insurance, that would not be good...

I’m torn between thinking you’re bonkers and thinking oh shit I need to worry about THAT now, too.

Sorry, nothing more helpful than that

Sell or return the Apple one, and buy one that uses Android along with a cheap Android phone or tablet that you only use for the tracker. There's no way I'd let them have that much data.

@LividLaVidaLoca

I’m torn between thinking you’re bonkers and thinking oh shit I need to worry about THAT now, too.

Sorry, nothing more helpful than that

Ha, I feel the same way!

@Thelnebriati

Sell or return the Apple one, and buy one that uses Android along with a cheap Android phone or tablet that you only use for the tracker. There's no way I'd let them have that much data.

If the tracker were an Apple one I wouldn't be as worried but it's a Xiaomi product and they've been shown to have dodgy data privacy practices. I thought I was being reasonably clever by trying to hook it up to an Apple ID (would be same as with Android) that I use for nothing else but as I can't get the stupid thing to connect, I'm a bit stuck.

If there's a tracker that doesn't need an app at all, that would be great, but maybe then it's not a tracker! Basically I just want him to have an old-fashioned Casio like we had in the 80s

It wouldn’t even occur to me to worry about such a thing. It records his exercise and sleep habits. He’s a young child. Why would Xiaomi care what he does?

Actually I probably didn't explain properly. It's not so much his data I'm worried about, as all MY data in my phone that the Xiaomi app seems to want access to.

But also, health data is incredibly valuable to these companies, whether you're a young child or an adult

Would this one be any better?

That information is already on your phone and either Apple/Google have all of it on record. What harm is Xiaomi compared to those huge ones? I never worry about that kind of information because for most of us it's already out in the world.

@Soubriquet

Would this one be any better?

Thanks! Yes that might be better

I’m glad to help

@Cheetocat

That information is already on your phone and either Apple/Google have all of it on record. What harm is Xiaomi compared to those huge ones? I never worry about that kind of information because for most of us it's already out in the world.

Xiaomi's record does seem to be worse...

www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2020/04/30/exclusive-warning-over-chinese-mobile-giant-xiaomi-recording-millions-of-peoples-private-web-and-phone-use/?sh=1fcf2521b2a7

I didn't read this until I'd bought the band unfortunately

www.androidauthority.com/xiaomi-privacy-cheap-phone-1118444/

I didn't realise the thread would have a poll! Chuckling that I'm definitely being unreasonable

I did end up being able to get the Xiaomi band to connect to my old phone which doesn't have anything else on it, so DS is now happy that he has his band and I can stop worrying they're scraping my real data from my phone!

Watch The Great Hack on Netflix though - I'm not making this stuff up

I think ynbu but see I'm in the minority. Am also not sure it's wise to encourage fitness tracking in children but I am probably way off the mark

I think it’s seen as a cool thing to have a fitness tracker as opposed to doing it to be fit.

My just turned 7 year old asked for a Fitbit because he wanted to see how many steps he was taking

I obviously didn’t get him a fit bit but I might get that watch I suggested earlier for him

My daughter has a junior Fitbit and it’s run as a sub account from mine. It’s excellent

I’ve just had a look at the junior. One of my reasons for not wanting it was the price but it seems to be on offer in a lot of places. Maybe ds will get lucky and I’ll get one to put away for Christmas

My 9 year old has a garmin vivo fit Jr. I did have to download an app on my phone, but iirc I didn't have to give too many permissions.

@Soubriquet

I’ve just had a look at the junior. One of my reasons for not wanting it was the price but it seems to be on offer in a lot of places. Maybe ds will get lucky and I’ll get one to put away for Christmas

We got one reduced to £40 on amazon last year