MoviePass sounds like a huge deal, so what’s the catch?

Is your personal data worth the price of admission?

MoviePass

If you haven’t heard, MoviePass is a huge deal! It costs $9.95/month, and for that price, you get one movie ticket per day at over 33,000 cinemas across the USA. According to math that is one sweet deal however, my mom told me there is no such thing as a free lunch. Since $9.95 is just over the cost of one movie ticket in many states, it sounds like a person could see quite a few free movies.

SO WHAT’S THE CATCH?

According to Gizmodo and Market Watch, the reason you get that price is that you are selling your data. When you sign-up, you give MoviePass your email, zip code, and all of the other standard personal data you would surrender if you subscribed to services online.

Ted Farnsworth, chief executive of data and analytics firm Helios and Matheson, told Bloomberg News that the goal of offering such a discounted ticket rate is to recruit a large customer base and collect data on viewing behaviors, which could then be used to eventually target advertisements or other marketing materials to subscribers.”  – Market Watch

You may be thinking, “So what? I give up my data for a free email service, or for social media.” You’re right. People fork over their data all the time. That is how Netflix has managed to do so well, and so this move by MoviePass shouldn’t be surprising, since Mitch Lowe, MoviePass’s Chief Executive, is a former Netflix executive.

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW?
  1. You will get a debit card from MoviePass. You will need to download the app. Your data will be garnered from the app, as well as from the sign-up. They will get your viewing choice and viewing behavior data.
  2. The app will use your zip code to tell you which cinemas in your area will accept your MoviePass. Right now, 91% of cinemas in the US accept MoviePass.
  3. There are limits on new releases, 3D, 4K, etc. You only get the 2D movies that have been out for a while.
  4. You cannot watch the same movie twice.
  5. AMC cinemas may be fighting this deep discount by blocking the pass’s subscribers.

If you’re willing to give up your personal data and viewing habits, feel free to click here.*

*RGM receives no compensation from any subscription referred from this website. This is purely an informative notice.

Let us know in the comments below if this sounds like a great deal to you!