Is there any other data that is sent with the GUID that might be used to identify that the GUID came from a Personal Content page? Data such as the user clicked on the “Add to Watchlist” link on a Personal Content page?
My current concern is that it seems like Plex is gathering more data related to user usage and watch patterns. The Watchlist allows Plex to track some of our viewing habits. The Search term tracking allow Plex to see what content is trending.
At some point, this type of tracking will allow Plex to deduce certain private information about its users. Similar to how Google can tell a lot about people just from their search terms.
I realize this doesn’t make Plex unique in that type of data collection, but it shows they are moving into that field of data mining.
Clicking “Add to Watchlist” from your server’s detail page is identical to clicking “Add to Watchlist” from the Discover details page. I do not see anything in the request that differentiates the two buttons.
So, here is the scenario that might allow Plex to determine if a movie is Personal Content…I’m not sure this data is currently available but I’m guessing this is where Plex is going in their tracking…
Plex is seeing a list of shows on your Watchlist. They now know some of your viewing preferences. For Plex to remove the movies from your Watchlist, Plex needs to know the watched status of the movie.
As those shows are being watched, Plex will know if you streamed them from an outside source and from which source (especially if they are later profiting from that linkage). However, some of the movies will become marked as watch due to being watched from your local server. This then just becomes a exercise in elimination: which movies were not streamed from an outside source…thus is must be Personal Content.
The Watchlist feature doesn’t have ability to automatically remove items based on watched status. You need to manually go in and click the “Mark as Played” button after you watch something. You also need to manually remove it from the watchlist if you don’t want it anymore.
This is mentioned in the Watchlist support article.
Based on the text shown on an empty Watchlist, they are removed automatically:
You can add movies and shows to your Watchlist to catch up on later. Once you finish watching an item in the list, or mark it as watched it will automatically be removed from the list.
I don’t think Search terms are addressed in the Privacy Policy. I think it should have been updated when the online media sources were added.
Searching for “Star Wars” is a strong hint that I may have it on my server.
Searching for my private media, titled “Jim gets high and steals cars” or “Ukraine reporter safety” or “Amazon union busting” … I’d like to know how my queries are being handled.
I don’t think Plex is sharing this information, but it would be nice to see the Privacy Policy spell it out.
Also, they are right, search is interest, not a declaration that you have something.
Whether there is intention or not to sell to a 3rd party, I can’t answer and I can’t see how they’d be able to either - but at most all that would indicate is interest.
Search terms are certainly not evidence of guilt, and that is assuming Plex even looks at and saves results and then turns to and gives it to media companies.
I know if I designed Plex, and I had to have the client send up search queries to a site for search, I’d make sure that search results would not be tied to an account GUI (anyone can search), and most likely never even save that the query happened at all. Have the server delete the info, never log it.
That’s not necessarily true. If they’re handling mod duties on a company-owned and sponsored site that directly benefits the company’s business with the blessing of the company (which they are) then they can be considered to be agents of the company. Just because they may not get paid for what they do does not make them legally separate from the company and it doesn’t make the company legally exempt from the consequences of their statements and actions.
For instance, if you or another casual user says something defamatory about me on here I generally don’t have a case against Plex over it. If Otto does it, though, then I’ve got a pretty good libel claim against Plex because they have a du/ty to supervise him.
I don’t think I understand the distinction. I deliberately added the word “may” because I agree - searches don’t prove ownership of media. But that isn’t the most important part of my comment and request.
In the past, Searches were between a Client and the Server, and were not sent to Plex.
Currently, Searches are sent to Plex. What is done with that information? It isn’t outlined in the Privacy Policy.
They may know them, they may talk to them, but mods (Ninjas) are not employees. They were answering your question both politely and accurately as a community member, that’s all.
