Thank you once again for all the support you have shown recently, we know we are incredibly lucky to have such loyal users.
We have been working closely with the team at Strava and are appreciative of their partnership. At this time, we fully understand the implications and will be making a subtle adjustment to make sure that we continue to uphold the highest standards of data security and to ensure that we fully align with Strava’s API agreement.
The single change is that users who choose to share their data publicly within VeloViewer will now be asked to confirm consent regularly. Visibility will default back to ‘private’ if consent is not reconfirmed. Previously, it was a ‘one & done’ consent process, this change will help users to be fully aware of the data sharing that they have agreed to.
This change will be released in the next couple of weeks and all other functionality will remain unchanged. We hope that you will continue to enjoy exploring your data and planning your adventures with VeloViewer.
VeloViewer Update 3rd December 2024:
Your options for sharing data in VeloViewer have now been updated. This gives you more control over the privacy of your data.
Previously, when you synced your Strava data to VeloViewer, your data was visible only to you, across the whole site. You could then check a box to opt-in to make your Strava data public within VeloViewer (note this only relates to your public/non-private Strava data, VeloViewer has never allowed private Strava data to be shared). This option made your data visible until, either, your PRO subscription expired, or until you unchecked the box.
This has now been improved; when you opt-in to make your Strava data public in VeloViewer, it will only remain public for 7 days, after which it defaults back to private. On your Update page you can press a button each week, when you update your data, to keep it public, if that is your wish. We have tried to make this process as quick and easy as possible.
If you opt-in to show your information in the overall, and Zwift-Insider/100 Climbs leaderboards, as well as your public VeloViewer Explorer Tiles in the Explorer Global Heatmap, then those continue to be indefinite, no need to renew.
The place to initially share your data is in the Options section of your Update page:
If you check the box to make your data public, then the next time you visit your Update page you will see when your data is public until, along with buttons to reset the data visibility for 7-days from when you press the button, so in effect, you have the option to reset the clock. You will also see an alternate option to make your data private:
Why the change and why now?
Giving users choice and control of their data privacy is very important to us. We wanted to move to a system that makes data sharing as transparent as possible. The new system prompts users to consider whether their data sharing preferences have changed, rather than assuming that they haven’t.
This update was prompted by conversations with Strava and we believe it is a positive move for our users.
alex ramsay says:
FANDABBYDOZI!
Charlie w says:
Thank god for that. Happy for you guys.
Hopefully they manage to avoid impacting all the other small businesses who depend on this data too.
Have cancelled my premium sub which I’ve had since Oct 2011 until I’m happy this has no lasting impacts on any small businesses.
Philip woolway says:
Great news
Eric Newman says:
Excellent news, Ben. Big thanks to you and the team for bringing us this update.
nathan says:
That is such good news
Éric says:
Thanks for the update. Glad to see that it does not change anything for you and us, and that we’ll still be able to enjoy viewing our data differently.
Nick says:
they handled this so badly, i advise people to listent to fit file podcast that DC Rainamker is part of, when they discuss Strava’s revent attempts at shooting themselves in the foot
its difficult to gauge whether this was really privacy or commerically driven. If its privacy then what is being sugested makes perfect sense, if people want the fucntioanlity, allow them to opt in, and i agree with peridioc prompts. why didnt they communicate this in teh first place, and why didnt they speak to the BIG apps BEFORE sending the email.
hopefully 2025 brings a more considered approach and eveyone can just get on with riding their bike and having fun!
Karol says:
So VV is safe for now but I’m thinking have you considered possibility that Strava would do it again and maybe VeloViewer should support importing data from other sources and not be so Strava dependent?
Duncan says:
Do think the ‘every 7 days’ is a bit much, once a month would be sufficient IMHO, but so be it
Jonas says:
Time to think about alternative sources, given Strava’s continued moves towards being completely unworkable. Intervals.icu seems like a good option for a “data hub” service.