Mobile users today live in a world that is watching and listening more than ever, and some have grown suspicious of the technology that influences their shopping, viewing and sports experiences.
The Golden State Warriors have found themselves at the forefront of the mobile privacy debate after being named in a class action lawsuit filed in August along with Signal360, which utilizes beacon technology. The suit claims the Warriors’ official mobile application developed by YinzCam unlawfully accessed microphones and recorded the conversations of users without their consent.
Generally speaking, an industry-wide focus on transparency might help make the user feel more comfortable and informed and slowly win back trust, suggested Rodney Williams, CEO and Founder of technology startup LISNR.
“Hey we’re gonna use your GPS to give you this great thing because you’re near a stadium,” Williams offered as an example. “Make it an active decision.”
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Williams has had experience earning and keeping the trust of mobile users, as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ official mobile application uses LISNR technology to enhance the fan experience at Quicken Loans Arena. When a Cavaliers fan opens the app inside the arena, a startup screen advises users that the Cavaliers use inaudible tones to deliver interactive experiences to fans in the arena.
Inaudible, “Smart Tones,” are emitted from one device’s speaker system and recognized by the microphone on another. Each Smart Tone carries instructions that tells the receiving device what to do next. The sound system at Quicken Loans Arena sends Smart Tones to fan devices. When those Smart Tones are received, they are decoded and initiate special fan experiences.
“LeBron (James) dunks the ball and then your phone vibrates,” Williams said.
LISNR further separates itself from mobile competitors by operating with an uncommon level of transparency. The company requires all its clients to make the intended use of Smart Tone technology front and center to users. As a result, LISNR reports an industry-leading 70 percent opt-in rate, according to Williams.
Mobile privacy is a growing concern in an age where it’s common for tech companies to bury fine print below the surface of general usage agreements. “Unfortunately the only legal requirement is to put it in your privacy policy and your terms and conditions,” Williams said when asked about the topic.
When commenting on the Warriors situation in particular, Williams said to consider the source. If the Warriors are accessing the microphones of users, Williams believes it’s in a push to create a better atmosphere for fans.
“They’re an incredible organization when it comes to fan experience,” Williams said.
GPS and WiFi are two data mediums that have historically generated privacy concerns with users. Their dependence on servers makes them vulnerable from the outside in.
With LISNR there is no server. Smart Tones are processed on a completely closed network, and there is no need for any sort of data connection. “We are, arguably, the most secure way to transmit information,” Williams said.
LISNR has created “the internet of sound.” Utilizing ultrasonic sound waves, LISNR developed technology that transmits data using only the speaker and microphone capabilities of paired devices. LISNR’s tech pays no attention to the sound audible to human ears. User conversations are of no use to the company and of no particular interest.
According to LISNR’s website, the company is driven by a desire to, “create the magical moments that impact a consumer at the right time and place.”
From a platform that puts fan experience and user privacy first, LISNR intends to revolutionize the way data is transmitted and received. From your chair back courtside to your seatback at 30,000 feet, LISNR intends to pave the way in ethical user interaction.
“If we’re going to be in all these places, the first time a consumer uses us … we want to ensure that they know that we have their best interests at heart,” Williams said.