So I joined a new gym last year and was pleasantly surprised. They gave me a smart card to get in and out, that’s it, no app, no accounts, no nothing. Well, today I got to the gym and saw the announcement that they are phasing out the access with the smart card and starting to use, you guessed it, an app.

Now, I know this is not such a big deal in the grand scheme of things. But I’m just tired of this trend of replacing perfectly functioning systems with apps (public transport tickets come to mind). Just more ways to harvest people’s data, I guess…

Ah and by the way, in my previous gym they not only required an app for accessing the place, they also incentivized people to track their workouts, meals and bodyweight using the gym’s app (of course I never used any of these features).

  • originalfrozenbanana
    10312·
    2 months ago

    And they will say you can’t go to the gym, then. I agree this is enshittification but this isn’t a magic trick that lets you bypass the app

    • nexas_XIII
      571·
      2 months ago

      It’s not, but I pushed back on my gym and they got me a barcode key tag. The app just shows a barcode anyway so I lucked out. I took a picture of the barcode and use that to get into the gym. Doesn’t hurt to try

      • Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works
        10·
        2 months ago

        Doing that makes it so they need to support the old system since some people keep asking for it. All I’m saying is, your actions help so thank you!

    • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
      20·
      2 months ago

      Assume they’d let ask you to have staff let you in every time, same as someone whose battery died. Pretty soon they’d recognize you and quickly buzz/wave you along, I figure.

      • johnyma22@lemmy.ml
        6·
        2 months ago

        That’s how I play the game, you get on first name basis with people too that way…

    • IllNess@infosec.pub
      14·
      2 months ago

      This isn’t a magic trick. This is more about pushing and seeing how far they would bend.

      Like what you said, if all else it’s a way out of the stupid agreements with gyms.

        • IllNess@infosec.pub
          5·
          2 months ago

          So if you can’t get in a gym because of a technology they added after you signed, they will just continue to charge you?

          That’s what you think will happen?

          • originalfrozenbanana
            42·
            2 months ago

            Yes that’s absolutely what will happen. They likely have language in the contract you signed allowing them to do just that.

            You are paying for access to the gym. They don’t have to provide you access via a card or a list or an app - they probably specify that they can refuse access for a variety of reasons, including “safety and privacy” or some shit they can shoehorn an app into. You don’t have a legal right to access a place via the mechanism you choose.

            • IllNess@infosec.pub
              3·
              2 months ago

              Looking online at similar situations people had their membership canceled by management. Other cases showed bring able to enter by a phone number, by their old tag, or ID verification. Looks like it happened for people whose app kept on crashing or a work phone that wouldn’t allow installs.

              Which gym would just keep charging you if you said you can’t get in?

                  • originalfrozenbanana
                    31·
                    2 months ago

                    Ah I missed the part where you said “and charge you.” There’s nothing in contracts like these that says the gym has to let you identify yourself in any way you choose and I don’t see why you think there would be.

          • sexy_peach@beehaw.orgEnglish
            6·
            2 months ago

            They’re not a government institution providing necessary services, so I think it’s legal pretty much everywhere. Same with places accepting payment by card only.