A new report has indicated that certain wearables and the apps needed to use them are posing a privacy risk.

Citizen Lab, in partnership with Open Effect have now released a report that has suggested that the mobile security being provided by several popular fitness trackers are actually vulnerable to potential tampering, surveillance and tracking over the long term.

These devices are quite commonplace and are used to allow a person to monitor his or her physical activity.

The report was the result of an examination of eight different fitness trackers and the mobile apps that are needed to use them. It was conducted by Citizen Lab from the University of Toronto, and the Open Effect not-for-profit research group. They looked into these applications and wearables to determine the level of mobile security and privacy they were able to provide. The trackers the researchers examined included: the Fitbit Charge HR, Jawbone Up 2, Garmin Vivosmart, Basis Peak, Mio Fuse, Xiaomi Mi Band, Withings Pulse O2 and even the Apple Watch.

The researchers looked at a range of different mobile security measures for every device they considered.

The factors included those pertaining to the collection and storage of data, as well as their transmission practices. What they determined was that every device, aside from the Apple Watch, persistently emitted uniqueIDs by way of their embedded Bluetooth radios. Those identifications could potentially expose the users of the wearables to location tracking over the long-term, even at times in which the device was not paired to a smartphone or tablet.

The report said the Apple Watch was the only one among the wearables that actually randomized its Bluetooth ID, causing it to be impossible to track that smartwatch over the long-term.

The authors of the report also pointed out that the Jawbone and Withings app was vulnerable to being exploited in order to crate fraudulent fitness records. The reason this poses a mobile security risk due to the chance that the data collected by personal fitness wearables could be used in court cases, health insurance programs and for other official reasons. Therefore, if that data has been falsified, it could create a highly undesirable risk for the users.

Report shows that consumers favor the convenience of mobile commerce

BuzzCity, a global mobile advertising network, has released a new report that highlights the growing popularity of mobile commerce. Many consumers have become interested in using their smartphones and tablets to shop online. The reason this is becoming attractive to consumers is because of the convenience that mobile commerce represents. According to BuzzCity, convenience is one of the factors influencing the interest consumers have in mobile shopping.

More people are expecting to spend their money through mobile devices

The report from BuzzCity shows that one in five consumers expected that more than have of their spending will come through a mobile device of some kind. Consumers appear to favor small purchases over larger ones. Approximately 18% of consumers noted that the variety of products available to them through mobile commerce is also a reason that encourages them to make purchases through a mobile device. The fact that they can do this shopping at any time and wherever they may be is one of the most attractive aspects of mobile commerce for consumers.

Consumers favor mobile websites over those that are not optimized for mobile viewing

According to the report, 19% of consumers said that they would not use retail websites that are not optimized to be viewed on mobile devices. These sites offer a poor shopping experience, making it difficult for consumers to make purchases with their smartphones or tablets. Notably, tablets are becoming a very attractive option for those interested in mobile commerce because these devices have larger screens that make the shopping experience more enjoyable.

Consumers remain concerned about the security of their personal information while using mobile commerce platforms

While consumers are showing more interest in mobile commerce, they are also concerned with the overall security of online platforms. Those participating in mobile shopping are not convinced that mobile commerce platforms are able to protect their financial information. Companies involved in the mobile commerce space are working to improve security in order to effectively protect consumers and new technology is being used to keep sensitive information safe.