Strava, the popular fitness-tracking application, announced this week that third-party applications will no longer be allowed to display customers’ data to other users. This announcement has sparked an uproar on social media, with users accusing the company of trying to kill off third-party apps used for coaching services or activity comparisons. In response to the backlash, Strava posted an update attempting to reassure users that the changes would have “no impact to most developers” and would affect only a “small fraction (less than 0.1%)” of customers.
The company clarified, “If you have granted a third-party app access to your activity data, they will no longer be able to display it within their surfaces to any user other than yourself. This update to our API Agreement has recently gone into effect, and partners will have a month to update their apps to comply with these new standards.”
Developers of Intervals.icu confirmed that Strava has informed them that their app is “in conflict with the updated terms” and must make Strava data visible only to the authenticated user who provides the data. Strava emphasized that users would still be able to access their data through connected apps, stating the changes were necessary to ensure privacy.
“We want 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,” the update stated.
Third-party apps adjusting to changes
“The latest API changes address this scenario and provide a more consistent framework for Strava user data.”
The third-party app VeloViewer posted on BlueSky that they are working with Strava through the changes.
“Thank you for all the comments and concerns around the recent changes to Strava API use. We have always had a really strong relationship with Strava, and are currently working our way through these changes with them,” the post read. “We will let you know more when our position is confirmed – this is likely to be in a couple more weeks.”
Strava insisted they are not trying to end third-party applications.
“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. We are steadfast in our commitment to fostering this ecosystem.”
They further clarified that restrictions on using Strava data for AI model training were to “prioritize user control and the ability to opt out.” Strava stated, “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. Our previous terms already disallowed the use of Strava user data in model training and development but we’ve made this more explicit in light of the increasing activity in this space.”
The changes have led to widespread discussions among users and developers, who are keenly awaiting further clarifications from Strava.
April Isaacs is a news contributor for DevX.com She is long-term, self-proclaimed nerd. She loves all things tech and computers and still has her first Dreamcast system. It is lovingly named Joni, after Joni Mitchell.
