There is no denying that in this era of technology, where there are hundreds of streaming platforms available, making it nearly impossible for people to avert their attention from their plenty of exciting content.
When you are availing the services of these platforms, you are officially allowing them to keep an eye on your online activities. By agreeing to their terms and conditions and they analyze your watching habits.
On top of that, some people wrongfully get access to the streaming sites too, which aggravates the situation even more, like Hulu is a streaming platform limited to a specific audience of the USA, and watch Peacock TV en Mexico with the help of a VPN, unconsciously inviting another app to invade their privacy.
Table of Contents
What kind of Data Streaming Platforms Collect & How they Use it
You need to know what sort of data these platforms are sneaking into and how they use it.
Watch History
Widely known and not-so-popular streaming platforms, all of them on your viewing history! It is no lie that these streaming platforms analyze your watching habits carefully. Like what shows and movies are you watching, how long you are watching it, and what time you prefer to watch your sorted content.
This information is used to create personalized recommendations for other content you might be interested in. Now you know how they generate and offer you a similar content library.
Search History
Similarly, they log your search activities as they spy on the content you watched. Like what you have searched for and then what websites caught your attention and you clicked on them.
What articles interest you, or whether you are looking for a product of your need? All this data is extracted to improve your platform’s search function and suggest more relevant stuff you are looking for.
Location
Your location is another type of data that these streaming platforms collect. Streaming platforms can easily keep track of your location. The purpose behind this tracking is to offer you more of your local content, which you might have an interest in, and to give similar suggestions to improve your streaming experience.
Information Regarding Your Device
Streaming platforms also collect data on what device you use to avail of their services, including the type of device you are using and what operating system this device has. They are even aware of the version of that device in your use to stream content.
All of this information is used to ensure the optimization of the performance of their platform. And additionally to ensure that the app is working fine.
Payment Information
It is a piece of cake for streaming services to access the records of your payments. This may include the data regarding your credit card details which we fill in to pay the subscription charges to these platforms. They also keep track of our billing address.
The purpose is to ensure your account is safe and has all the necessary upgrades. But do not worry if it spikes up a concern regarding the safety of your privacy. They are bound to protect your payment procedures and their associated details.
Generating Relevant Ads
They also know what you are looking for! Yes, ever pay attention to the fact that whenever we struggle to find a product, we suddenly get to see the advertisement of either the relevant product or their alternative.
It is all the outcome of the data extracted and pried on our search bar tab. These streaming platforms use this info to serve you with targeted ads.
Impact of Sharing Data with Streaming Platforms
Every social platform has the benefits that it offers to its viewer as well as it has some downsides too when it comes to sharing your personal data with them.
Let’s dive into further deep analyses about sharing our data with streaming apps.
Benefits of Sharing Data with Streaming Platforms
Keeping an eye on your watch history helps them curate a personalized recommendation of content for its viewer. Streaming services provide you with a sizable content collection that you are likelier to enjoy. And this also helps you save time finding new content that you wouldn’t have found on your own.
Some streaming platforms also offer their users free content in exchange for data. For instance, you may access certain content by just watching ads.
Keeping track of your watch history helps the curators of content better understand what kind of content is getting popular among the audience.
Drawbacks of Sharing Data with Streaming Platforms
When you share your data with streaming platforms, you consent to access and keep a record of your activities. For some people, this mere thought of invading privacy is uncomfortable.
These platforms hold a hefty record of your data, which is inviting hackers. If any sort of data leakage happens, your personal information could be exposed.
When you share your data with the streaming platforms, you may give up some of your anonymity. This can result in a point of concern for those who want to keep their online activities private.
Wrapping Up
Sharing data with streaming services has potential benefits and risks to exposing your data. However, you can watch Optus Sport outside Australia there is a way to limit their access to your personal information. You can do so by tackling your privacy settings.