Gaia privacy settings changed in new update!

Titans

Titans

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Ugh. I'm afraid that this is the reality: anything uploaded to the internet is going to get shared with everyone sooner or later. Sometimes due to malicious settings change like here, sometimes due to a security breach, sometimes due to a change of ownership, and so on. It's depressing and it didn't have to be this way, but it only seems to be getting worse as time goes on.
 
Gaia has completely gone down the tube since the Outside buyout. This was entirely predictable. I deleted my account last year and haven't looked back since.
 
LarryBoy said:
Gaia has completely gone down the tube since the Outside buyout. This was entirely predictable. I deleted my account last year and haven't looked back since.
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Same. Ever since CalTopo upped their app game a few years ago, Gaia was already on its way out for me anyway.
 
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Yeah after Outside bought Gaia I went to CalTopo for mobile. Already had been using the desktop CalTopo for trip planning for years so it wasn't too bad of a switch.
 
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Thanks for the heads up! I checked my settings and found that my general privacy settings (not sharing with anyone) had been retained after the update. I then looked at some past saved tracks and they are not publicly visible. HOWEVER, after digging a bit on the link you posted- "This article will show you how to change the visibility settings of your tracks the iOS app. By default, your tracks will be public once you accept the privacy pop-up modal. Waypoints and routes will remain private."
It sounds to me like any new tracks will now be "public" by default, despite your privacy settings, and if you want to keep them private you have to select that option when finishing a track. :mad:
Overall, I've been happy with Gaia, but not with it being part of the Outside empire. I'll be looking at other options once my subscription expires.
 
SteveR said:
It sounds to me like any new tracks will now be "public" by default, despite your privacy settings, and if you want to keep them private you have to select that option when finishing a track. :mad:
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No- new tracks will NOT be public once you have changed your privacy settings. We just finished a long Teton hike and the default for today’s hike was “only you “.
(However- yesterday before I was aware of this forced public mode after the software download), I did have to go in manually and change yesterday’s track/hike to “only you”.

I don’t trust Gaia after this stunt - will be looking for other options like Caltopo.
 
Titans said:
I don’t trust Gaia after this stunt - will be looking for other options like Caltopo.
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Slightly higher learning curve for CalTopo (though far less than it used to be), but vastly more powerful overall.

Right before the Outside buyout, Gaia had started to implement some winter features I liked - and I miss those a little bit, but I've found plenty of alternatives w/in CalTopo and haven't been tempted to go back.
 
You are correct, @Titans. I tracked my bike ride this afternoon just to see, and yes, the default setting was “only you”.
 
I didn't realize CalTopo had a moblie app. Available for offline use?
 
Janice said:
I didn't realize CalTopo had a moblie app. Available for offline use?
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Yeah. Great integration with the desktop site obviously. It does take a minute to re-load every time you open the app, which is intensely annoying. I want to be all-in on Caltopo app, but I'm just not there yet. Matt says that problem won't go away unless and until they fundamentally re-engineer the app. So I'm probably going back to the old crappy Backcountry Navigator Pro.
 
I used the CalTopo app exclusively for my spring trip to Utah and for the Hidden Creek backpacking trip in August. Offline features work fine, has downloadable maps for offline use.
 
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