Netflix has been running a “subtle” test on Android devices to track the movement of some subscribers.

Twitter user BetoOnSecurity noticed that the popular streaming app had requested access to physical activity data on androids. This data includes motion detection and movement information generated by sensors embedded within an Android smartphone. It can harvest movement data including walking, biking, or moving in a vehicle.

On some android systems, the permission to access these data turned on without any prior prompt. One such instance happened to a Pixel 3 XL user.

Netflix states the reason as to continuously finding ways to give members a better experience. Having said, the access to motion data was a part of a test to see how playback quality can be improved when a member is on the go.

The longer a user engages the content, the more successful the tailored advert is. Such tests have the potential to become the way for ad-showing services to generate valuable data and gain an insight into how profitable their current ad strategies are.

Read our other post about Instagram stories tracking you.

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