MoviePass Updates iOS App to Track You Less

UPDATE 3/13: In a letter to MoviePass members, partners, and employees, MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe said the app "does not track and has never tracked or collected data on the location of our members at any point when the app is not active."

Original Story:
Earlier this week, it was revealed that MoviePass was happy to sell you an unbelievably good movie ticket subscription because it viewed your data as the new oil.

So while you sat there watching a new movie every day for $10 per month, MoviePass collected an "enormous amount" of information about you. In the CEO's own words, "We watch how you drive from home to the movies. We watch where you go afterwards."

Understandably, this caused some upset, and MoviePass decided it needed to react. As TechCrunch reports, an update has now been released for the MoviePass iOS app which removes "unused app location capability."

"MoviePass released a new app update, including the removal of some unused app location capabilities," the company said. "While part of our vision includes using location-based marketing to enhance the movie-going experience for our members, we aren't using some of that functionality today."

The statement finishes by promising, "Our members will always have the option to choose the location-based services that are right for them today and in the future."

Did they have that choice before it was revealed how much location tracking was going on? It's still unclear exactly how much and what data MoviePass is collecting, but if you use the iOS app, it's at least less information about your location with this update. It may also be possible to manage additional tracking by turning off location tracking on your phone and killing the app when not in use.