Google’s recent acquisition of Fitbit sparks privacy concerns

The recent acquisition by Google of Fitbit, the wearable fitness company, for $2.1bn has sparked concerns that users’ most intimate health information, such as number of steps, breathing patterns, sleep quality or menstrual cycles, would become shared with Google. In a blogpost, Google said that Fitbit health and wellness data will not be used for Google ads. If Google indicated that Fitbit will continue operating as its own entity, doubts remain in light of the Google Nest case (bought in 2014 and absorbed into its hardware business in 2018). The Guardian reported that many  Fitbit wearers strongly complained on social media about the Google takeover due to privacy concerns.