Strava Bans User for Running in North Korea (dcrainmaker.com)
(Friday March 14, 2025 @06:20PM (msmash)
from the no-tolerance dept.)
- Reference: 0176719329
- News link: https://slashdot.org/story/25/03/14/2034209/strava-bans-user-for-running-in-north-korea
- Source link: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/03/strava-bans-user-for-running-in-north-korea.html
Fitness tracking platform Strava has [1]terminated user accounts for uploading running activities recorded in North Korea, citing U.S. sanctions that prohibit offering online services to the country. A doctoral student researching North Korea had her account deleted after uploading a run recorded during a visit to the country. Another user was banned for a virtual treadmill workout set in North Korea, though their account was later reinstated.
"In accordance with mandatory U.S. sanctions and export controls, Strava does not allow users to post activities occurring there," the company told technology blogger Ray Maker in a statement. Unlike Strava, other major tech platforms including YouTube, Facebook and Apple do not appear to restrict content created in North Korea from being uploaded once users return home.
[1] https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/03/strava-bans-user-for-running-in-north-korea.html
"In accordance with mandatory U.S. sanctions and export controls, Strava does not allow users to post activities occurring there," the company told technology blogger Ray Maker in a statement. Unlike Strava, other major tech platforms including YouTube, Facebook and Apple do not appear to restrict content created in North Korea from being uploaded once users return home.
[1] https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/03/strava-bans-user-for-running-in-north-korea.html
Strava is doing the right thing (Score:2)
by ebunga ( 95613 )
They can't sell or transfer, or even facilitate the transfer of electronic items, or conduct business with anyone in North Korea. Banning users that show up in North Korea is the right thing to do.
Bans seem silly (Score:2)
by SmaryJerry ( 2759091 )
Strava's lawyer got overexcited. That's like saying you can't record a video in North Korea and then upload it afterwards elsewhere. It sounds like it's already geofenced so why the excessive force for uploading data after returning home?
Couldn't they just geofence? (Score:2)
Why not just reject data that's located in a sanctioned region like North Korea?
Re: (Score:2)
Strava 'engineers' can't even write code to tell if a bike that spends 1hr riding at ~9kph for an hour on mountain bike trails, then suddenly rips along the road for 30mins at 60+kph is still doing a 'ride'.
Whoever codes at Strava (or at least tells them what to do) is an utter buffoon.