Strava's API Policy Update Sparks Controversy: Limits on Data Sharing and AI Use

Strava closes the gates to sharing fitness data with other apps

Strava recently informed its users and partners that new terms for its API restrict the data that third-party apps can show, refrain from replicating Strava's look, and place a ban on using data "for any model training related to artificial intelligence, machine learning or similar applications." The policy is effective as of November 11th, even though Strava's own post about the change is dated November 15th. Effective November 11, the updated API agreement introduces three key changes that provide Strava users with greater control, security, and a consistent experience: Stronger Privacy Standards: Third-party apps may now only display a user's Strava activity data to that specific user. Users will continue to have access to their personal Strava data across apps connected to our platform, though there may be differences in how this data appears. Data Use Limitations: Our terms now explicitly prohibit third parties from using any data obtained via Strava's API in artificial intelligence models or similar applications. Protecting the Strava Experience: Additional terms have been added to protect Strava's unique look and feel and functionality, helping users easily distinguish between Strava and third-party platforms. Ray Maker, aka DCRainmaker, points out that Strava has widely served as a middleman to get data collected by wearables to other apps and services. According to Maker, "every single partner I've talked to over the last 24 hours has been completely broadsided by this change," with their only notification arriving as an email on Friday giving a 30-day notice to make any adjustments. Now, services like VeloViewer and Final Surge may need to find another way to provide the features Strava's users explicitly ask them to provide, like automatically updated leaderboards, personalized workouts, and "year in review" recaps, even as Strava is beta testing its AI-generated "Athlete Intelligence" summaries that Maker says "tell me something vaguely positive but usually wrong." TrainerRoad is one app that promises to guide users through "Effective, Science-Backed Workouts," based on access to data from Strava, and the team has already commented on the change. In a post on its forum, Nate Pearson writes, "This was crazy news to us, too," but noted that Garmin users could use Garmin Connect instead and that the team had already been working on integrating other platforms like Zwift and Wahoo.

Strava Blocks AI Models Training with User Data in New API Rules

Disclaimer: This content generated by AI & may have errors or hallucinations. Edit before use. Read our Terms of use Fitness app Strava has recently updated its policies for application programming interfaces (APIs) to limit third-party apps from displaying user data, and also from using Strava data to train their AI models or other similar applications. With third-party data access restrictions, the company wants to specifically address situations where users connect to a third-party app but are unaware that said app is showing their data to other users as well. For instance, in a public feed or through heatmaps. Previously, in 2018, the Strava app caught flak when it unwittingly ended up exposing the location of military bases because of its heat map feature. The map revealed the activity of its users from around the world, seen as bright streaks of light. In conflict zones, the map was almost entirely dark except for scattered activity in what were later found to be US military bases. While this new policy will prevent third parties from making heatmaps using Strava, the company itself still continues to make heatmaps from user data. While Strava might have intended this to prevent such issues, the move could also restrict third-party developers who build tools on top of the app to extend its capabilities. For instance, many apps that work in conjunction with Strava like Intervals.icu (which analyzes your runs, bike rides, etc.), become violative of the company's new API policy. Sports journalist Ray May (who goes by DC Rainmaker) highlights that a lot of fitness devices like the Google Pixel watch don't connect with Strava, and through Strava, users then plug this data into analysis applications like Intervals.icu. Then, users can share this analysis further with fitness coaches within the third-party app. Since Strava will no longer allow third-party apps to share user data with others, these apps may no longer be able to provide this service. As concern around the impact of its change on third-party developers rose, Strava has clarified that its policy still allows for the overwhelming majority of third-party use cases (including coaching). "We anticipate that these changes will affect only a small fraction (less than 0.1%) of the applications on the Strava platform," the company said in a statement on November 19. Explaining its rationale for not allowing third parties to use Strava data for AI training purposes, the company argues that it is personally committed to implementing solutions that prioritise user control and opt-out options. "Third-party developers may not take such a deliberate approach to training AI models and as a result, we believe the best decision for the platform and for users is to prohibit the use of data extracted from Strava users in this manner," it explains. In May this year, Strava announced the release of the beta version of its AI-enabled Leaderboard Integrity, which flags irregular or impossible activities that users record on the platform. Then in October, it rolled out the beta version of its AI-powered workout insights Athlete Intelligence. The company says that this service makes it easier for users to understand performance metrics from a smartwatch or mobile phone.

Strava could soon stop working with some of your third-party apps - here's what you need to know

Some have warned it could destroy the app ecosystem built up around Strava Strava says that less than .1% of applications will be affected by a major change to its API (application programming interface) agreement, following user backlash to a series of proposed changes by the popular fitness platform. A few days ago, Strava announced new API terms for its users and partners that will restrict the data that can be used and shown by third-party apps. Specifically, the company is introducing more privacy so that third-party apps can only display a user's Strava activity data to that specific user. Third parties are now explicitly prohibited from using any data obtained by Strava's API in artificial intelligence models, and more terms have been added: "to protect Strava's unique look and feel and functionality, helping users easily distinguish between Strava and third-party platforms." The changes made by Strava have generated some quite intense user backlash, notably a YouTube video from DC Rainmaker that explains the impact of some of the changes. As he notes, tens of thousands of apps and training platforms rely on Strava's API to provide users with fitness insights. He warns that Strava's new changes could have a series of unfortunate consequences. For instance, under the new rules, data synced to third-party platforms can't be shown to a coach. This is a change apps like Intervals.icu are already getting to grips with. Intervals, a popular cycling app, relied on its users funneling data from cycling program Zwift into Strava, which then funneled data into Intervals. Now, according to a post on the Intervals.icu forum, developers are working on a direct pathway from Zwift to Intervals without requiring Strava to be involved at all. Furthermore, apps like VeloViewer may no longer be able to show user data on their leaderboards. The AI changes noted could cripple apps like TrainerRoad, which currently provides AI-generated plans and workouts using Strava API Materials. Stats.training developer Pedro Araújo said the change was "bad news" for his app, which provides Personal AI training using imported Strava data. "Strava is forbidding third-party apps from displaying user info to other users, so I'll have to disable public user profiles and scrap the whole initial idea... Bold move for a company that gets all their data from third parties. This is why I hate building on top of other services." However, the biggest change prevents the processing and disclosing of Strava data (even publicly viewable data) for the purposes of analytics, analyses, customer insights, products, or service improvements. As DC notes this is a massively vague and nebulous change that could include a huge range of services and features provided by apps that currently rely on Strava's API. He cites one exasperated company that reached out to say they're not even sure what they can do with the Strava API anymore. The changes, it seems, broadly threaten to destroy the ecosystem of third-party apps that rely on Strava's API data to provide valuable fitness insights to users. Over on the Strava Community Hub, users were not shy about letting the company know exactly what they thought of these changes. "Bunch of psychos. I've unsubscribed today," one user wrote. Others lamented that users themselves, not Strava, should decide whether their data should be used by other apps. "I just don't understand the reason why Strava thinks they need to do this. If I authorize a 3rd party to use my data then why should Strava decide that same 3rd party can't use my data? It just makes no sense. It really needs more explanation to understand the reasoning," one user added. Others described the decision as "embarrassing," and a multitude have indicated they're canceling their Strava subscriptions. Strava has clearly heard enough user outcry to issue additional context around the changes to its API agreement, and the impact it will have on its users and developers. Most notably, Strava claims "We currently anticipate these changes will impact less than .1% of applications and proactively notified the majority of those affected last week." Addressing the changes more specifically, Strava says its increased privacy controls and limiting the display of users data is designed "to thoughtfully address situations where users connect to a third-party app and are unaware that their data is being surfaced not just for their own use and visibility, but also to other users (for example, in a public feed or heatmap)." On AI, Strava says it believes in the transformational power of AI to handle personalized insights, route and training recommendations, and more but says "innovation in this space must be handled responsibly and with a firm focus on user control." "Third-party developers may not take such a deliberate approach to training AI models and as a result, we believe the best decision for the platform and for users is to prohibit the use of data extracted from Strava users in this manner," the company explains. On developer impact, Strava says "We recognize that our platform thrives because of the creativity and dedication of third-party developers who build tools to complement and extend Strava's capabilities" and says it remains "steadfast in our commitment to fostering this ecosystem." It reiterated that less than .1% of applications on the Strava platforms will be affected by the changes, and says "the overwhelming majority of existing use cases are still allowed, including coaching platforms focused on providing feedback to users and tools that help users understand their data and performance." Responding to the update, DC notes there's still a lot of ambiguity here. The reassurance around coaching apps, for instance, still appears to preclude human coaches from seeing data, noting many coaching apps have confirmed Strava hasn't changed its position. Clearly, the user reaction and posited sweep of the changes are misaligned with what Strava believes will be the real-term impact, but it seems the nebulous and vague wording of some of the changes may have spooked developers of some of those aforementioned services. One other point of contention around the changes is that developers were only given 30 days to prepare for the changes. Whether Strava makes any changes in the meantime remains to be seen, but the true impact of the overhaul might start to manifest in just a few weeks as a result.