A French Navy officer went for a run on the deck of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and uploaded his exercise to Strava, inadvertently leaking the location of the nuclear-powered warship because it heads to the Middle East.
First reported by French newspaper Le Monde, the story just isn’t an anomaly — this standard health monitoring app has confirmed to be a privateness nightmare earlier than.
By default, accounts on the social health app are set to public, publishing your route any time you log a exercise. Strava knowledge has beforehand been used to find navy bases round the world. In 2024, Le Monde uncovered French President Emmanuel Macron’s whereabouts by looking for the Strava accounts of his bodyguards, who uploaded public exercise knowledge whereas touring with him.
Macron had publicly introduced the carrier’s deployment, so its motion by the Mediterranean was already identified. But clearly, the French navy continues to be put at severe danger when an officer telegraphs its exact location. A consultant for the French Armed Forces instructed Le Monde that the officer’s conduct “does not comply with current guidelines,” which “sailors are regularly made aware of.”
Strava didn’t reply to TechCrunch’s request for remark earlier than publication, however let this function a reminder for all; even should you’re not in the navy, it’s most likely value setting your Strava account to non-public.