La Liga App Monitors Soccer Fans Through Hidden Features

Experts have discovered hidden surveillance capabilities in the popular La Liga app for soccer fans. The app’s developers have confirmed that it records conversations, claiming this is done to track unauthorized broadcasts of soccer matches.

Users of the Android version of the La Liga app noticed that it requests access to both the microphone and GPS. This means the app can potentially record users’ conversations and determine their location.

Soccer fans pointed out these clauses in the app’s user agreement and reached out to the developers on social media for clarification. The developers admitted to recording conversations, explaining that the feature is intended to help identify bars illegally streaming soccer matches. According to La Liga, unauthorized broadcasts cost the Spanish league about 150 million euros per year.

It remains unclear whether these features are used solely for this purpose, but their existence is a cause for concern for many users. The developers stated that the app only records conversations during La Liga championship matches.

The La Liga app has been downloaded over 10 million times from Google Play.

Cybercriminal Activity Increases Ahead of World Cup 2018

Cybersecurity companies have also reported a rise in cybercriminal activity targeting soccer fans ahead of the 2018 World Cup. Criminals are collecting data on fans to carry out targeted attacks, with the ultimate goal of stealing money.