MoviePass CEO Brags About How Much Data it Collects

rgMekanic

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In an interview at the Entertainment Finance Forum, the CEO of MoviePass Mitch Lowe had a lot to say, and some of it was rather shocking. While the interview was mostly about statistics and company projections, when the interviewer asked about data collection, things turned grim. Lowe boasted saying the following:

“We get an enormous amount of information,” he said, noting the company knows subscribers’ addresses and can glean demographic information based on where they live. The company also can track subs via the app and a phone GPS.

“We watch how you drive from home to the movies,” he said. “We watch where you go afterwards.”

That sort of data fits into a long-term revenue plan.


Wow... There isn't much I can say about this and maintain even a little hint of professionalism. If you're a MoviePass subscriber, you may want to consider spending that $10 a month elsewhere.
 
If anyone thought this wasn't happening, they're crazy or just ignorant. No way they can run a business for the price of 1/2 ticket a month, potentially costing them 60 times that cost each month (~1 movie per day), without mining ALL the data and selling it. Bunch of told you so's going out to coworkers who bought it and thought they just monitored what movies you watched at what times associated with your age/demographic.
 
Seriously, Apple collects may times this much info from every i-device in existence, just as Google does with everything running Android. MoviePass is pretty much the rank amateur here. So how does it make sense to suggest people "spend their $10 elsewhere" unless you are also going to suggest that everyone pull the battery from their mobile device.
 
If anyone thought this wasn't happening, they're crazy or just ignorant. No way they can run a business for the price of 1/2 ticket a month, potentially costing them 60 times that cost each month (~1 movie per day), without mining ALL the data and selling it. Bunch of told you so's going out to coworkers who bought it and thought they just monitored what movies you watched at what times associated with your age/demographic.

I agree. This was always the deal, but I am fine with it. Facebook, and Google are already collecting all that info anyway. I am pretty sure every app on your phone is.
 
Seriously, Apple collects may times this much info from every i-device in existence, just as Google does with everything running Android. MoviePass is pretty much the rank amateur here. So how does it make sense to suggest people "spend their $10 elsewhere" unless you are also going to suggest that everyone pull the battery from their mobile device.

It all comes down to trust. Yes, Apple and Google do the same. But, who do you trust? Who do you trust for selling your information? MoviePass where the biggest money maker is selling your information to others or Apple/Google where it's just part of the revenue stream (well, Google is pretty much similar, just more in the spotlight)? I think more eyes are on the big guys when it comes to privacy. I think MoviePass would get away with more shit because that is pretty much their profile. At some point (now) it's not what information you give out, it's to who. That information is getting out there, it's just who gets it and who you trust with it.

What do you give up for that breach of privacy? Are you willing to give it up for some cheap movie tickets? Some are. If you aren't cool with it, shut your phone off until you really need it.

I should really get MoviePass. Amy Schumer's new movie is coming out the same day as Super Troopers 2. Gonna save some money on those ones! by not watching the 'look, I'm fat and a slut' movie.
 
The list of apps that don't do this is far shorter then the list that do. At least this guy is honest enough to admit it. Coupled with the data sets they can purchase from most CC companies, and they know what CC you used to buy 2 Large sodas, 1 tub of popcorn with extra butter and a box of Milk Duds, where you sat in the theater, how many times you went to the restroom and the fact you watched porn while you took a dump on your 2nd restroom visit.
 
People leave location services on when they're not using a map app?

Or do apps get cell tower info? Hadn't thought about that...
 
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Movie pass sounded way too good to be true, which should always be a tip off. Between the stories of them blocking some movies (NOT mentioned in their marketing material but I'm sure it's buried in the weasel word fine print somewhere) and now this taking a pass on their "offer" is proving to have absolutely been the winning move.

Seriously, Apple collects may times this much info from every i-device in existence

The phone may, but Apple doesn't. You may wish to look at their privacy policy. Then contrast it to Google's and everyone else's. Apple doesn't need your data since you aren't a product, but a customer to them.
 
Well you can always turn off the GPS and other permissions the program is granted after you install it and grant them.
 
Fucking duh. All this shit is spying on us. At least this company is giving us a good deal for doing so. I see them as angelic compared to the rest of them.
 
No one will completely avoid having companies collect data about them. However I'm surprised how many basically say they don't like it but oh well. Seems like a very cavalier attitude in my personal opinion. You can't prevent it completely but you sure in hell can leave a much smaller digital footprint. You can have a lot less of your personal shit floating around in cyperspace. No Facebook and definitely no moviepass, sorry, it's just not THAT good of a deal.

Some of it is just using common sense. Just ask yourself, what does this company stand to make off there product? With so many apps and online products it's usually data collection.
 
In 15 years Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, or some other vendor of your choice, and some not of your choice, will know absolutely everything you do. EVERYTHING, including full data on your bowel movements if they want it... and you will be happy to let them have it. They will even have permission from your employer to gather information on you while you are at work.

This Moviepass thing is a drop in the bucket and if I was a subscriber I wouldn't even bat an eye at this report.
 
People leave location services on when they're not using a map app?

Or do apps get cell tower info? Hadn't thought about that...

they can get it from cell towers as well though it just gives a general area if there are multiple towers. but yeah i'm lazy and i leave mine on because of my allstate insurance app.. i don't feel like turning it on every time i get into my car but it's worth it since i only end up paying about 300 dollars a year on my insurance after all the discounts.
 
How did anyone no already know this. As others have said 10 bucks a month and a movie a day huh ?

How the heck did people think they where paying for that. All this CEO did was admit to the logical stuff... what they are likely collecting that he didn't admit is much more interesting.

In seriousness though the majority using this service won't care.... well at least for now, in a few years when most of the data they collect looses its values as trends become well known the services costs will either go up, or they will get less choosy about who they sell the data too. (or possibly both)

PS also speaking as someone who worked for Cellular companies years back at this point. Location services IS Not new or a smart phone thing. Cellular triangulation via signal strength pings has been a thing for a lot longer then GPS in phones. In some jurisdictions its even illegal to actually shut it off (for emergency/police/911 access) so software in many cell phones, yes even old bricks that says such features are turned off are actually sort of lying to you. lol Almost 20 years back now we could track non GPS Nokia bar phones to addresses in dense cell coverage areas with no issues at all.
 
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No one will completely avoid having companies collect data about them. However I'm surprised how many basically say they don't like it but oh well. Seems like a very cavalier attitude in my personal opinion.
It's a matter of deciding what your information is worth, for some people it is worth it to see a bunch of movies every month for pennies on the dollar, and that should be their right to decide if they want to "sell" their personal data for that.
 
Google and Facebook are free because we are the product. This cost $10.
 
So just disable location services for the app aside from when you buy the ticket.

This CEO is a dumbass to brag about this stuff.
 
I literally don't care. Have enjoyed watching so many movies in the theater that I normally wouldn't have due to cost. Totally worth it. So liberating when I don't live in paranoia. Not that I ever did.
 
Well, given that I can't even be bothered to watch movies these days, let alone sign up for yet another service for it...
 
amazing..so many posters are OK with this kind of shit. You are the reason this shit happens. No I don't use apple or android, no I don't use windows, I use ATMs so there's that. No, I don't use gmail or google search and fuck facebook.
 
amazing..so many posters are OK with this kind of shit. You are the reason this shit happens. No I don't use apple or android, no I don't use windows, I use ATMs so there's that. No, I don't use gmail or google search and fuck facebook.

..cool but whats the point? Data collection has been going on for decades. Remember <any> credit rating? How do you think they came up with the numbers?

The only difference is that computers can come up with a decent approximation in a few minutes/days. Used to take years for everything to hit the accounting sheets. Now if you buy a movie ticket with anything but cash - and with cash they might want some personal info like a real name or swipe a membership tag, you are part of data collection.

No real person to blame. Its almost weaponized number counting :cool:
 
The fundamental difference between MoviePass and, for example, Google is that I know what I'm getting into with Google. If I use Google software for navigation, I know that their servers are aware of where I am and where I'm going; that's one of the trades I make for a useful (and free) service. However, if the MoviePass app is sitting in the background tracking my movements, that's probably not something of which I was aware (the likelihood that I, or any given subscriber, will read the complete terms of service is close to zero), nor am I getting anything in exchange for that specific data. If I was a subscriber, I would assume (apparently wrongly) that they would only use location data - to which a user would have to give the app specific access - to find out whether or not I was at the theater where I was using their service. That they're taking and keeping more location data than that is wrong, and I hope this story gets enough play to crater their subscription numbers.
 
..cool but whats the point? Data collection has been going on for decades. Remember <any> credit rating? How do you think they came up with the numbers?

The only difference is that computers can come up with a decent approximation in a few minutes/days. Used to take years for everything to hit the accounting sheets. Now if you buy a movie ticket with anything but cash - and with cash they might want some personal info like a real name or swipe a membership tag, you are part of data collection.

No real person to blame. Its almost weaponized number counting :cool:
oh don't mistake my dislike as ignorance :)
I get it...pure momentum is what's keeping this alive, but what happens if ALL of us stop for fucking 10 seconds and think about it?

spoiler alert: nothing because thinking that one person doesn't make a difference is built in to the system.
 
This might come on handy. You go out on a date, get wasted, go to the movies, hook up and sneak out next morning with a huge hangover and forget where you were last night. Now you can just ask Moviepass where that chick lived, perhaps they even know her name. I wonder if they eavesdrop on voice too?
 
People leave location services on when they're not using a map app?

Or do apps get cell tower info? Hadn't thought about that...

I don't go to shady locations so I really don't care. If I have to go to a military contract they collect the cell phones away anyway :D
 
Data is (and has been) king for a while. Kroger was one of the first large companies to dive into it with the Kroger Plus card. By signing up and using the Card, you get special deals. No card, you pay regular prices. They also give you "fuel points" to sweeten the pot. In exchange for the discounts, Kroger ends up knowing a lot about you based on your buying habits. They can fairly accurately guess how many people live in your house, ages, sexes, income level, etc. In their case, they send out targeted advertising to hopefully get you to come back to Kroger to spend more money.
A lot of people were very much against this system when it first came out - competing companies used to shout how they didn't track you. I believe Meijer used to brag about how they are not tracking you. Guess what? They now have a system called mPerks. If you punch in your code, you get points. They are following suit.
For this type of stuff, I guess I don't care. If I did care, I'd pay cash for everything and not use any of the point systems. Even then, my cell phone is potentially known by the wifi hotspots in the stores. They don't know who specifically has the cell phone, but they do know (via triangulation) approximately where the phone has been, how long was it in a certain area, etc. Let's not forgot facial recognition with cameras in the stores.
When we enter a store, is there any warning of all this taking place? Did I ever agree to any of it? I guess I don't have to as I am entering private property. When you sign up for the reward programs, I would assume I had to "agree" to all these terms. Same with the MoviePass system - I can't imagine there isn't an agreement you have to accept before signing up.
Apps are out of hand. These companies are going too far but the sheeps are blindly accepting everything. I know a lot of college students - they don't seem to care about any of this stuff. I guess they have just accepted it. I'm going to go sit on my rocking chair today and yell at people to get off my lawn. BTW, my security cameras are recording you too.
 
The crux of the issue is if I could grant per app permission, which is very possible if they wanted, this behavior would be vastly reduced and a non-issue for people who care.
 
I feel like the indifference of people to this kind of crap in this thread is directly related to the same data in the fraud thread that shows the younger generations get scammed more often than seniors.
 
I would love to see their telemetry. I wonder if their subscriber base is mostly frugal AF movie geeks and retired dudes or if it's just stupid average people that sign up and never notice the recurring charge on their monthly statement again?
 
I would love to see their telemetry. I wonder if their subscriber base is mostly frugal AF movie geeks and retired dudes or if it's just stupid average people that sign up and never notice the recurring charge on their monthly statement again?

In the EU it's not even legal to track a person without a written consent. I wonder what excuse Moviepass is using to track users even when they're not actively using the app.
 
Google tracks where you go 24/7 if you have an android phone. Please stop using your phones people. *Puts on tin foil hat.
 
Movie pass sounded way too good to be true, which should always be a tip off. Between the stories of them blocking some movies (NOT mentioned in their marketing material but I'm sure it's buried in the weasel word fine print somewhere) and now this taking a pass on their "offer" is proving to have absolutely been the winning move.



The phone may, but Apple doesn't. You may wish to look at their privacy policy. Then contrast it to Google's and everyone else's. Apple doesn't need your data since you aren't a product, but a customer to them.

Blocking some movies? So you mean IMAX stuff and 3D movies. Or do you mean some AMC movie theaters in a few major cities...?
 
So other people don't set apps to only be able to use that shit while it's open / in active use? Nearly every app on my phone is set to "while using" except the reminders app because I legit can't fucking remember to buy shit at the grocery store and the geofence thing saves my ass.
 
Or do apps get cell tower info? Hadn't thought about that...
Don't know about the app itself, but the company collecting data most certainly often use a spectrum of sources to provide location, like GPS, cell tower and WiFi hotspots.

... They will even have permission from your employer to gather information on you while you are at work.
If you carry your private phone/wearable no such permission is required.

... You are the reason this shit happens. No I don't use apple or android, no I don't use windows, I use ATMs so there's that. No, I don't use gmail or google search and fuck facebook.
But you do obviously use the Internet. Google, and to some extent Facebook, will track most of what you do online unless you go lengths to prevent it.

The crux of the issue is if I could grant per app permission, which is very possible if they wanted, this behavior would be vastly reduced and a non-issue for people who care.
And of course, if you deny permission to track you can't use the service...

In the EU it's not even legal to track a person without a written consent. I wonder what excuse Moviepass is using to track users even when they're not actively using the app.
The written consent they got with the subscription?
 
Yea a few will fuss and cuss but to the most part no one cares. :(
every app on your phone can and does do this

violent games and movie may have desensitized adults and children to acts of horror but
common tech like this has also desensitized us to acts of constant tracking.

take the tinfoil off your head, and wrap your phone with it

imagine 20 year from now
 
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