New privacy policy comes into effect with Plex appearing to spend more time looking for ways to collect data from its users than providing a stable and robust media server and client apps
A very sad day, as I’ve loved using Plex for the last 6+ years, but having no control over what data gets sent from clients connecting to MY server, with more and more of those clients failing to work without a connection to plex.tv means Plex is no longer the tool I want to manage my local media collection.
emby does almost all of what Plex can, with some rough edges, and all of it without needing to connect anything to their web service. Even their ‘plexpass’ functionality can be used without being connected.
Will be interesting to see how things play out over the next 12 months, especially when the GDPR becomes enforceable in 2018. Today might be one that Plex look back on as really bad decision.
It was good whilst it lasted, but sadly all good things come to an end…
It’s hard to cancel a lifetime subscription, although I suspect I’ve had my $79 worth over the last 6 years.
My PMS is offline, there are no client connections through plex.tv, and I’m in the process of tidying up my emby server before opening back up to friends and family, with no connection required to emby.media.
I’d have preferred to stay with Plex, but they don’t appear to listen to longtime users anymore
Such a shame… really enjoyed Plex. Thing is, I can’t help hoping we’re overreacting! But alas, with so many conversations about privacy concerns on the Plex forums, Plex on Facebook and YouTube, combined with the lack of response from Plex officials… certainly makes me think so many are right to be cautious. So here goes… like @adrianwi, I am now fine-tuning emby, prepping to move over to the other side with a paid-up membership. Gutted, truly gutted.
Sadly I have to agree too, Plex started so well but seems to have lost their way these days with zero support, and now focusing on Live TV DVR and losing focus on it’s core strengths…and audience.
I am curious to see how Emby works, and will look for reviews. Kodi model doesn’t suit me as I like the server/client approach, and I need offline sync (e.g. to use an ipad on a flight). Emby is a bit more expensive for the premium version (needed for sync) but I guess I could try the free version for online use, and use VLC as an offline client (just physically transfering the media over).
Either way, I’ll not be renewing my Plex subscription when it expires… Sad times
I don’t understand why all of these affronted people have to make these grandiose speeches about leaving and going elsewhere…it seems like they are looking for some sort of vindication…Just go, be happy elsewhere using something else…
I don’t understand why all of these affronted people have to make these grandiose speeches about leaving and going elsewhere…it seems like they are looking for some sort of vindication…Just go, be happy elsewhere using something else…
It’s called paying customers sharing their dismay, disappointment, and hoping for one of the Plex staff to front up. Indeed customers vote with their feet and many explain why!
Have to say, I’m also deeply disappointed that these settings are on a per-client basis and effectively give me no control over what data is sent about my server. I shall definitely not be renewing my Plex Pass. This seems like a very deliberately missleading approach and entirely missing of the point of the outrage/concerns that people had.
Any comment from Plex about this? Not found any yet but perhaps I’m failing to find the correct thread.
I don’t understand why all of these affronted people have to make these grandiose speeches about leaving and going elsewhere…it seems like they are looking for some sort of vindication…Just go, be happy elsewhere using something else…
Think about it: PLEX has a unique audience- one whose loyalty is (was) almost at-odds with their grain. I’m willing to bet a large percentage of PLEX users don’t own rights to the content of their servers; a customer base who are (were) completely willing to PAY for a quality product- to enjoy something they weren’t willing to (or able) to pay for. They PAID for PLEX because it was THE BEST. It was the best at what it did. It had the best vision of what its customers wanted. It had the best direction. It was quality people, with a quality product, with a future. This wasn’t some disposable commodity product, available simultaneously from 10 different sources. This still isn’t a commodity product. If PLEX falls on its ass, it will be a genuine loss for the community. The users understand this.
Plex has pooped all over their own product but instead of having their nose rubbed in it they have managed to turn it around and are rubbing our collective noses in their mess and then they have the audacity to tell us we should like it.
“Hurt me and make me like it” only works in certain places peopled by folks in masks and black leather.
Pretty disappointed with Plex lately. Every single new server release doesn’t fix any of the issues that have been plaguing us. Their response to fixing the DVR issues is to use a build from 5 months ago. They pushed a known a web app update to the servers knowing it had a defect in it. They continue to push out updates that don’t seem to fix any issues people are having and just say a fix is coming in an upcoming release. They have just continued to try to push their news and data gathering on to users even though most are pushing back. I really feel they are losing touch with their users and they never even really bother to interact on the forums anymore. How are we even supposed to get support if we are just ignored?
Will add that I’m a 5+ year member who is fed up and am looking into other solutions. Very sad that Plex doesn’t listen to their users as this is a sure way to build a failing product. And that is what Plex has become to me… something that never works the way it’s intended to.
And the lack of communication from Plex employees is the icing on the cake (more of a slap to the face).
What’s ultra super sad is that during this period of deterioration of all things Plex, the product I used to love and promote to friends and family, several of whom also purchased a Plex pass like me and because of me, no one from Plex came in here in any of the threads, nor in the blog or on Twitter to defend these horrendous changes or apologize or at least come out openly that with the new board Plex’ vision has changed and that we’ve grown apart.
I could even accept the latter, but no deafening silence like usual, not even the usual jokes to try and laugh it away this time. They’re waiting this one out and don’t mind the conscious Plex’ advocates they’re cutting loose in the process. Probably knowing it’s mainly the old school users they’re pissing of with lifetime passes, so not making them enough money at this point anymore anyhow.
Plex is in direct violation of upcoming European privacy laws! We are not overreacting, we are just demanding our rights as customers and citizens.
If someone would walk right through your garden to have a peek into your living room window, you would call to Police too, woudn’t you?
And to Plex: rot in hell!!! Since months the community is screaming at you that there are severe bugs in your product and you don’t react. Since weeks the community is screaming at you that we don’t accept your new privacy policy and you don’t react either.
When will you react? Once the last user has turned his back on Plex in disgust??? Will you then speak up and ask “How could all this happen???”?
As others have said, “Plex does not care.” What they are doing is shaking off the users that they think are not current money producers, like the lifetime pass holders, that they see as simply parasites that costs money and server time and bandwidth to support and provide, in Plex’s belief, no new income.
By driving us away they reduce costs and thereby increase profits.
What they have forgotten is that many of the long time users that have a lifetime pass do generate income from new users that come about by recommendations and even direct installs for friends and acquaintances.
From me and several others that source of income for Plex is gone. Plex has totally lost all my trust and support and I will even be encouraging others to use Emby if it can at all provide what they need.
I bought my lifetime Plexpass in November 2013 for $74.99. Pretty good value really given how much I’ve used it. To be honest, if Plex had asked me to pay some more to help resolve some of the long-standing issues or adding more a decent channel guide for Live TV which was going to cost them to provide, I would have. It might have taken a little debate and firm commitments from them, but I loved Plex.
Their approach, however, has just been to make it more and more difficult to use Plex as it was intended as a Local Media Server, requiring connections to them in order to use many of the features and clients. Whilst these might make things easier for new users, simply removing them from everyone is unnecessary, unless the actual goal was to make everyone connected in order to collect data about them. It sure feels that way, even though they say it’s not. The new Facebook/Google logins and News channels that cant be disabled are again things I don’t think anyone would have ever asked for, but Plex is making you take them whether you like it or not @Elijah_Baley is right - Plex hasn’t cared about its core local media server users for some time, and not having us around moaning about stuff not working or asking for new functionality that makes the media server better but doesn’t generate them revenue isn’t their future model.
I’m still playing with emby as a replacement and can use my offline PMS with some older clients quite happily in the house. My friends and family are not so lucky, but I’ve already configured emby to provide a secure SSL connection to the server directly from my own domain, without the server or clients needing to go near an Emby Connect account. Whilst I’m not sure the grass is currently greener on the emby side of the fence, given where Plex seems to be heading, I’m pretty sure it will be in a few years time if all you’re really looking for is the best media server for sharing local and remote content with family and friends. I’d prefer to get my news somewhere else thank you very much.
agree with most of what has been said, plex has not cared about it’s original user base for quite some time… no idea who it is trying to cater to but I think it’s time to move on… it was a great party while it lasted, but party is over it seems
Can you guys explain some of the privacy issues that they are in violation of? I don’t know much about the subject and am curious about what’s going on. From what I’ve seen they are gathering more data such as file sizes, length of videos, and other things in order to “better optimize” our experience. What is worrying people into making a huge issue out of the subject? Thank you very much.
Consent
The conditions for consent have been strengthened, and companies will no longer be able to use long illegible terms and conditions full of legalese, as the request for consent must be given in an intelligible and easily accessible form, with the purpose for data processing attached to that consent. Consent must be clear and distinguishable from other matters and provided in an intelligible and easily accessible form, using clear and plain language. It must be as easy to withdraw consent as it is to give it.
Privacy by Design
Privacy by design as a concept has existed for years now, but it is only just becoming part of a legal requirement with the GDPR. At it’s core, privacy by design calls for the inclusion of data protection from the onset of the designing of systems, rather than an addition. More specifically - ‘The controller shall…implement appropriate technical and organisational measures…in an effective way… in order to meet the requirements of this Regulation and protect the rights of data subjects’. Article 23 calls for controllers to hold and process only the data absolutely necessary for the completion of its duties (data minimisation), as well as limiting the access to personal data to those needing to act out the processing.
Basically this is a huge “GO ■■■■ YOURSELFS!!!” from the European Union the the Googles and Facebooks of this world. It’s a clear and enforced (look up “Penalties”) demand that companies stop gathering unnecessary data just to make a profit out of it.
@FreestyleStorm said:
Can you guys explain some of the privacy issues that they are in violation of? I don’t know much about the subject and am curious about what’s going on. From what I’ve seen they are gathering more data such as file sizes, length of videos, and other things in order to “better optimize” our experience. What is worrying people into making a huge issue out of the subject? Thank you very much.
