A recent investigation by the French newspaper Le Monde has uncovered a surprising and potentially dangerous secret: the movements of U.S. President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump, Vice President Kamala Harris, and other world leaders can be tracked online through a popular fitness app called Strava.
How It All Started
The investigation revealed that some agents of the U.S. Secret Service, responsible for protecting these leaders, use the Strava app. This app is primarily designed for runners and cyclists to log their workouts and share their activities with others. However, it can also reveal the locations where users exercise, which can be a serious security risk.
Le Monde’s investigation included a video released in both French and English, showing how these agents’ Strava profiles can disclose sensitive information. This is particularly concerning following two recent assassination attempts on Donald Trump, raising questions about the effectiveness of the Secret Service’s protective measures.
What Did They Find?
Le Monde found that the security details for not only U.S. leaders but also French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin were available through Strava. For instance, they traced the movements of Macron’s bodyguards to discover that he had secretly spent a weekend in a seaside resort in Normandy in 2021, a trip that was not mentioned in his official schedule.
Moreover, they found that the locations of First Ladies Melania Trump and Jill Biden could also be pinpointed through the activity of their bodyguards on Strava. This raised alarms about how easy it is for anyone to track the movements of those responsible for protecting these prominent figures.
Secret Service Responds
In response to the findings, the U.S. Secret Service stated that while their staff are not allowed to use personal electronic devices while on duty, they do not prohibit the personal use of social media outside of work hours. They reassured the public that they did not believe this situation compromised any security operations, although they acknowledged that affected personnel would receive additional training.
Interestingly, Le Monde reported that one Secret Service agent’s Strava activity revealed the exact hotel where President Biden stayed in San Francisco during important talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2023. Just hours before Biden’s arrival, this agent went for a jog starting from the hotel, giving away sensitive information.
A Broader Concern
Le Monde identified 26 U.S. agents and numerous members from French and Russian security teams who had public Strava accounts. This means their workout data was available for anyone to see, including information about their movements during official trips.
While Macron’s office claimed that the risks associated with this issue were minimal and that their security was always tight, it highlighted a broader concern about the use of fitness apps. Experts like Ibrahim Baggili, a professor of cybersecurity, warned that data from these apps can be misused by bad actors to track individuals, leading to stalking and other crimes.
Consumers often unknowingly allow app developers to use their data when they agree to the terms of service. Baggili emphasized that governments need to step in and regulate how companies use and store consumer data.
A Dangerous Lesson
This investigation serves as a wake-up call, revealing the potential dangers of modern technology in the hands of those responsible for our safety. As we embrace fitness apps and other tech, we must also be aware of the risks they pose, especially when they involve our leaders’ security.
