Are you planning on spending your weekend sitting on the couch enjoying another binge-watch? You may want to reconsider. According to The Next Web, Netflix is now tracking “physical activity” for some Android users, meaning that the streaming giant will know just how lazy you have been.
The peculiar tracking was first noticed by a security researcher who took to Twitter with a screenshot showing that the Netflix app on his Android device requested access to track his physical activity data.
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Several others have also reported receiving the request.
Hey @netflix why does your Android app want physical activity data? pic.twitter.com/Lv0QUL0w9g
— Beto on Shrooms on Security, Shitter of Posts (@BetoOnSecurity) July 27, 2019
In a statement to the outlet, Netflix confirmed that it was in fact tracking activity to test how it “can improve video playback quality when a member is on the go.”
“We are continually testing ways to give our members a better experience,” the streamer’s statement read. “This was part of a test to see how we can improve video playback quality when a member is on the go. Only some accounts are in the test, and we don’t currently have plans to roll it out.”
Netflix added that it currently has no plans to roll the feature out to more of its subscribers.
The invasion into privacy is not all that unusual, considering that more and more Netflix subscribers are choosing to view their favorite series and movies on the go. A study from the streamer released in November revealed that 67 percent of people globally, or two out of every three people worldwide, tune into Netflix while out in public.
The study also found that 26 percent of respondents binged shows and movies while at work, with another 44 percent stating that they watch Netflix while traveling aboard planes.
It is also likely that the streamer is just attempting to get a better understanding of how their subscribers stream, as the news of “physical activity” tracking comes on the heels of a major blow. In July, it was revealed that the company had not only missed its projected quarterly subscriber growth by a longshot, but also that its stock price on Wall Street had plummeted $17 billion.
The double blow came as competition in the streaming field hated up. Along with going head-to-head with the likes of Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO, Netflix will soon be going up against Disney+, Apple TV+ and HBO Max, all of which will come with their own can’t-miss original material.
