The UAB system worked by embedding an audio "watermark" in TV shows that the SilverPush software would continuously listen out for. There were concerns that as the software has access to the microphone it could be listening in on you continuously. SilverPush claims its software only anonymously logged the number of times its watermarked ad was heard, providing data to companies about the reach of their campaigns. SilverPush also states that it never tracked user's voices via the microphone, and claims that any data it logged is considerably more anonymous than a typical internet cookie.

The FTC's warning to developers appears to be more concerned with how apps communicate what they are doing, rather than accusing developers of logging TV-viewing data directly. A total of 12 developers were contacted after the commission noticed their apps appeared to contain the SilverPush code. While SilverPush claims it has no active partnerships in the US, it doesn't clarify whether there were previous deals with developers. For its part, it claims it no longer uses the technology anyway, and has since developed new ways to track the public television feed that don't require "consumer side integrations." The FTC didn't specify which apps it sent out warning letters to.