‘When you watch Netflix, Netflix watches you’: Platform accused of spying on children in explosive Texas lawsuit
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Netflix, alleging the platform illegally harvested children's data and used addictive designs to monetise user behaviour. Netflix denies the claims, calling them meritless.
Popular streaming platform Netflix has been sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused the company of secretly collecting data from children and other users without their consent.
According to a report by Reuters, the lawsuit filed on Monday (May 11) alleged that Netflix tracked viewers’ habits, preferences and online behaviour while failing to properly inform consumers about how their data was being used. The complaint further claimed that the streaming giant sold or shared such information with advertising companies and commercial data brokers. Paxton also accused Netflix of intentionally designing its platform to be addictive, particularly for children and families, to maximise viewing time and generate profits through data collection.
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“Netflix’s endgame is simple and lucrative: get children and families glued to the screen, harvest their data while they are stuck there, and then monetise the data for a handsome profit,” the complaint filed in a state court in Collin County, near Dallas, stated. The lawsuit added: “When you watch Netflix, Netflix watches you.”
According to Reuters, Texas alleged that the company’s practices violated the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices laws. Paxton has requested that the court order Netflix to delete any data allegedly collected unlawfully and impose civil penalties of up to USD 10,000.
What was Netflix’s response?
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In response, Netflix rejected the allegations and said it would contest the lawsuit in court. “Respectfully to the great state of Texas and Attorney General Paxton, this lawsuit lacks merit and is based on inaccurate and distorted information,” a Netflix spokesperson said in an official statement.
The company maintained that it complies with privacy and data protection laws and said it takes the privacy of its members seriously. The case adds to growing scrutiny over how major technology and streaming companies collect, store and monetise user data, especially data linked to children and teenagers.
