MoviePass removes 'unused' location capability in update
After MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe raised the hackles of privacy advocates by implying the movie deals service tracks user locations, the company on Wednesday issued an update for its eponymous app that removes a supposedly unused "location capability" feature.
According to its release notes, version 3.0.6 of MoviePass for iOS delivers theater and movie search performance improvements. More importantly, the update also removes an "unused app location capability."
While the release notes fail to go into further detail, the location capability is thought to be a function Lowe alluded to in a recent presentation at the Entertainment Finance Forum. During his talk "Data is the New Oil: How will MoviePass Monetize It?" last week, the CEO said MoviePass gleans user location data and is thinking of ways to leverage that information to enhance its service.
"We get an enormous amount of information," Lowe said at the time. "We watch how you drive from home to the movies. We watch where you go afterwards."
That information is not conveyed to MoviePass users in the company's privacy policy, which notes the app requires access to a user's location when selecting a theater. Location data is gathered in a "single request" that might also be used to "develop, improve and personalize the service," the company says.
Following public backlash, MoviePass on Monday attempted to clarify the situation by saying it is "exploring utilizing location-based marketing" to enhance the moviegoing experience for subscribers. For example, a user's location might be used to suggest nearby restaurants or advertise exclusive benefits like discounts on transportation.
To further sate privacy advocates, MoviePass appears to have put the exploratory tracking capability on ice, at least for now.
The app is unlikely to remove all location-based assets, like the nearby theater function, as they present a significant benefit to customers and underpin certain MoviePass features. Wary iOS users can limit software access to onboard positioning hardware in the Settings app under Privacy > Location Services.
According to its release notes, version 3.0.6 of MoviePass for iOS delivers theater and movie search performance improvements. More importantly, the update also removes an "unused app location capability."
While the release notes fail to go into further detail, the location capability is thought to be a function Lowe alluded to in a recent presentation at the Entertainment Finance Forum. During his talk "Data is the New Oil: How will MoviePass Monetize It?" last week, the CEO said MoviePass gleans user location data and is thinking of ways to leverage that information to enhance its service.
"We get an enormous amount of information," Lowe said at the time. "We watch how you drive from home to the movies. We watch where you go afterwards."
That information is not conveyed to MoviePass users in the company's privacy policy, which notes the app requires access to a user's location when selecting a theater. Location data is gathered in a "single request" that might also be used to "develop, improve and personalize the service," the company says.
Following public backlash, MoviePass on Monday attempted to clarify the situation by saying it is "exploring utilizing location-based marketing" to enhance the moviegoing experience for subscribers. For example, a user's location might be used to suggest nearby restaurants or advertise exclusive benefits like discounts on transportation.
To further sate privacy advocates, MoviePass appears to have put the exploratory tracking capability on ice, at least for now.
The app is unlikely to remove all location-based assets, like the nearby theater function, as they present a significant benefit to customers and underpin certain MoviePass features. Wary iOS users can limit software access to onboard positioning hardware in the Settings app under Privacy > Location Services.
Comments
Do you also think that the company is in cahoots with Apple so that the OS level controls for location that are set to "only when using app" are somehow being used all the time?
I do the same thing. So this really has been a non-issue. I don't see what the big deal is anyway. Google does far, far worse!!!
I normally look on Fandango for what movie I want to see. Than go to the theater, start the MoviePass app, find the movie and time and pick it to activate my card. Once that's done, I KILL the app. So it didn't track me anywhere at anytime. MoviePass already knows where I am from the ticket I bought using their Credit Credit Card. So the know where I'm at from the theater and what movie I watched and at what time and day. I've killed the app, so it can't track me when I leave.
Besides I had the app set to only track when the App was running. When it's in the background as you have something else on screen, it's not tracking you anymore. Anything that still is, which is usually Navigation apps, iOS11 throws up a blue bar on the top of the screen to let you know!!!!
So again, whats the big deal? The only big deal is the huge SAVINGS!!!! You pay $9.95 a month and can see unlimited 2D movies. No 3D or IMAX. 1 Movie Ticket is generally at least $10. Say the first showing of the day before prices go up $12-$15. But say you see 8 movies a months. That's 2 a week. With MoviePass you tend to see a lot of movies!!!! At a low price of $10 a movie, that's $80. You're basically saving $70!!! Seeing 1 movie a month pays for the service.
Remember, it wasn't all that long ago where it was costing me $35 a month, and then prices went up and it was costing me $45 a month. Which is still a 50% savings. At $9.95 a month, it's a steal. Why wouldn't you sign up at this point?!?! How they can afford to do this?!?! Because they are paying the FULL PRICE of the tickets. They don't get any kind of discount.
Any suggestions anyone?