Strava sent a message to users this week announcing that third-party applications will no longer be allowed to view customer data to other users. It caused uproar on social media by accusing the company of trying to kill the app.

Strava posted an update the day after the message came out, trying to reassure users that the change would "not affect most developers" and would only affect a "small percentage (less than 0.1%)" of their customers.

The announcement states that "If you allow third-party apps to access activity data, you will no longer be able to see it in your surface to anyone other than yourself. This API contract renewal has recently come into effect, and partners have a month to update their apps to comply with these new standards."

Interval developer.icu said that strava informed its app that it was "inconsistent with the updated terms" and that Strava data was only available to authenticated users who provide data to both future and past activities.

Strava said that changes were needed to ensure privacy and urged users to be able to access the data through connected apps. I tried to reassure them.

"We want users to connect to third-party apps and table their data not only for their use and visibility, but also to other users (e.g., public feeds and heatmaps) "The latest API changes will address this scenario and provide a more consistent framework for Strava user data. We will provide you.

The popular third-party app VeloViewer posted to BlueSky that they are working with Strava.

"Thanks for all the comments and concerns regarding the recent changes to the use of the Strava API. We have always had a really strong relationship with Strava and are currently working our way through these changes with them," the post read. "Once our position is confirmed, we will let you know more - this could be a few more weeks later.

Strava claimed it was not trying to terminate third-party applications.

"We recognize that our platform thrives because of the creativity and dedication of third-party developers who build tools to complement and extend Strava's capabilities. We are steadfast in our commitment to nurturing this ecosystem.

"We expect these changes to affect only a small part (less.1% of applications on the Strava Platform) – The overwhelming majority of existing use cases are coaching programs focused on providing feedback to users

Strava also "prohibits third parties from using data obtained through Strava's APIs in artificial intelligence models or other similar applications." The term "explicitly prohibited" has been updated., It also asks third-party app developers to "maintain a design that complements, rather than replicating strava's distinctive look and feel."

They clarified that the limitation in using Strava data for AI model training is "prioritizing user control and opt-out capabilities."

"Third-party developers cannot take such a deliberate approach to training AI models. In previous terms, it was already not allowed to use Strava user data in the training and development of models, but we have made this clearer in view of the increasing activity in this area."