An officer of the French Navy took a jog on the deck of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and shared his exercise on Strava, unintentionally exposing the position of the nuclear-powered vessel as it makes its way to the Middle East.

As first reported by the French publication Le Monde, this incident is not unique — the widely used fitness tracking platform has previously been a source of privacy concerns.

By default, the social fitness app’s accounts are public, revealing your route every time you record a workout. Strava data has been used in the past to identify military installations globally. In 2024, Le Monde found out the location of French President Emmanuel Macron by exploring the Strava profiles of his bodyguards, who posted public workout information while accompanying him.

Macron had already publicly disclosed the deployment of the carrier, so its navigation through the Mediterranean was known. However, the French military remains endangered when an officer reveals its exact position. A spokesperson for the French Armed Forces mentioned to Le Monde that the officer’s actions “do not adhere to current protocols,” which “sailors are routinely informed of.” 

Strava did not provide a response to TechCrunch’s request for comment prior to publication, but this serves as a reminder for everyone; even if you’re not a military member, it’s advisable to set your Strava account to private.