Strava

What is Strava?

Strava is a fitness and activity tracking app that records running, cycling, swimming and other activities via GPS. It logs routes, pace, distance and time — and includes social features such as following friends, sharing activities, giving “kudos” (likes), commenting, joining clubs and competing on segments (local leaderboards). The app is very popular among sporty teenagers, especially runners and cyclists, and connects to wearables like Garmin and Apple Watch.

Age limit: 13 years (16 in some jurisdictions under GDPR).

Why do kids like it?

• Tracking personal records. Strava makes it easy to follow their own progress — kids can see how they improve their times, distances and pace over time.
• Segments and leaderboards. The competitive element is motivating. Kids can compete against others on specific stretches and see where they rank.
• Sharing achievements with friends. After a workout, they can share their route, stats and sense of accomplishment with their friends.
• Training for teams and school. Many use Strava to log training for sports teams, school athletics or personal fitness goals.
• Clubs and community. Running and cycling clubs provide a sense of belonging and shared motivation.
• Motivation and goals. The app sets up weekly and monthly goals that keep motivation high.
• Wearable integration. Connecting to Garmin, Apple Watch, Polar and other devices provides a seamless training experience.

What are the real risks?

• GPS routes can still reveal routines. Under-18 accounts hide start and end points by default, but visible route sections and repeated timings can still show patterns.
• Adult defaults are more open. Adult accounts are public by default, while under-18 accounts start with activities visible to followers. Incorrect age or changed settings can therefore create broader exposure.
• Segments and leaderboards can create local visibility. Under-18 exposure is limited, but visible activities can still be tied to specific training areas.
• Clubs, photos and followers can reveal social context. Public clubs, activity photos and follower lists can show training habits, places and connections.

Settings to check

1. Add privacy zones: Open Settings → Privacy → Privacy Zones and add zones around home and school.
2. Check default visibility: Open Settings → Privacy → Default Visibility and confirm under-18 accounts share new activities with “Followers”, or choose “Only You” for private sessions.
3. Confirm Flyby and messaging: Open Settings → Privacy and check that under-18 accounts do not appear in Flyby, and that messaging and Instant Workouts are off by default.
4. Limit profile visibility: Open Settings → Privacy → Profile Page and set the profile to “Followers”.
5. Review followers: Open Followers and remove unknown accounts. Use approval for new followers.
6. Limit leaderboard visibility: Open Settings → Privacy → Leaderboards and hide segment results if they create unnecessary local visibility.
7. Check map visibility: Open Activity → Edit → Map Visibility and hide the map on activities near home, school or regular training places.

How to talk about it

“What can a training route reveal about places you often are?”

“Who follows you on Strava, and how do you decide who gets to follow you?”

“When does it make sense for an activity to be visible to followers, and when is “Only You” a better fit?”

Last reviewed: July 2026