The Golden State Warriors are facing a trial over its smartphone app, which allegedly recorded fans’ conversations, reports The Daily Beast.
LaTisha Satchell claims in a new lawsuit that the app, which was billed as a way for fans to keep track or scores and stats, was watching the fans. One of the app’s tools allegedly uses the user’s smartphone microphone to record everything with earshot and relay data back to the Warriors and a tech company, which is possibly in violation of wiretap laws.
The suit says that the snooping program started as a way to sell merchandise and ticket upgrades because the Warriors wanted to know when fans were on Warrior-owned property, and how long they stayed there. The app tracked that information through audio “beacons” that played through special transmitters in their arena and stores, the suit says, according to The Daily Beast. The app listened for the beacons and then sent customized ads to the user’s phone.
But according to the lawsuit, the app did not stop when the fans left Warriors-owned property, and instead, constantly listened in and recorded conversations, even when fans weren’t using the app, reports The Daily Beast.
Satchell filed her suit last year. A judge initially said she didn’t have enough information, and she filed an amended complaint earlier this year. Satchell described the personal information the app could have intercepted, such as conversations with her husband in their bedroom, private business meetings, and discussions with a loan officer, reports The Daily Beast. Her phone was within earshot, which means that pap could have recorded all of it through the microphone.
The app is currently still available, but when you download, it offers a semi-explanation of its controversial tracking software, though it is unclear if all users will understand what they agree to.
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