Plex is a popular media server software that allows users to stream their own media files across different devices. Plex also offers a variety of online content, such as movies, TV shows, podcasts, and news. However, a recent update to Plex has sparked some controversy among its users, especially those who use it to watch adult content.
The update, which was released on November 16, 2023, introduces a new feature called “Plex Home”. According to the official announcement1, Plex Home allows users to create multiple user profiles within a single Plex account, and share their media libraries with other users in their household. Plex Home also enables parental controls, which can restrict access to certain content based on ratings or labels.
While Plex Home may seem like a useful and convenient feature for some users, others are worried about the privacy implications of sharing their media libraries with other people. This is especially true for those who use Plex to watch porn, which may not be something they want to share with their family members or friends.
One of the main concerns is that Plex Home does not allow users to exclude certain libraries or folders from being shared. This means that if a user has a library that contains adult content, they cannot hide it from other users in their Plex Home. Moreover, Plex Home does not have a separate login or password for each user profile, which means that anyone who has access to the Plex account can switch between different profiles and see what they are watching.
Another concern is that Plex Home may expose users’ porn viewing habits to third parties, such as Plex itself, content providers, or hackers. Plex claims that it does not collect or store any personal information about what users watch2, but some users are skeptical about this claim, especially since Plex requires an internet connection to function. Furthermore, some users are worried that Plex may share their viewing data with content providers, such as TIDAL or Crackle, which may have different privacy policies than Plex. Additionally, some users fear that hackers may be able to access their Plex accounts and see their media libraries, which could lead to blackmail or embarrassment.
Plex has responded to some of the criticism by saying that Plex Home is an optional feature that users can choose to enable or disable3. Plex also says that it is working on adding more granular controls for sharing and privacy in the future3. However, some users are not satisfied with this response, and have decided to either stop using Plex altogether, or switch to alternative media server software, such as Emby or Jellyfin.
Plex is not the first media server software to face backlash over privacy issues. In 2018, Kodi, another popular media server software, was accused of facilitating piracy and illegal streaming by some media companies and governments. Kodi denied these allegations, and said that it does not endorse or support any illegal activity. However, Kodi also faced criticism from some of its users, who complained that Kodi was collecting and sending their viewing data to third parties without their consent. Kodi later clarified that it only collects anonymous and aggregated data for statistical purposes, and that users can opt out of this data collection.
The controversy over Plex Home highlights the challenges and risks of using media server software to watch online content, especially adult content. Users who value their privacy and security should be aware of the potential consequences of sharing their media libraries with other people, and the possible exposure of their viewing data to third parties. Users should also review the privacy policies and settings of the media server software they use, and choose the ones that best suit their needs and preferences.
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