Runner’s World interviewed U of G professor Kieran O’Doherty for an Aug. 15 story about privacy issues around tracking data from personal fitness trackers and running watches.
The article talked about a runner who disappeared in Brooklyn, Iowa, several weeks ago and how police are using data from her running watch in their investigation.
A professor in the Department of Psychology, O’Doherty discussed the ethics of using fitness tracker data to inform police investigations and lawsuits.
O’Doherty said we need to consider the vast amounts of personal data available about each of us. He noted that future generations could be affected by what information is gleaned, and said we shouldn’t leave it up to private companies — such as fitness watch manufacturers — to protect our privacy.
O’Doherty studies science and society, bioethics, and public participation in biotechnology and science.