Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently filed a lawsuit against Netflix, claiming that the platform has collected users’ data without their permission, according to a news release.
The lawsuit argues that Netflix uses “intentional engineering” to track users’ viewing habits, preferences, devices, household networks, application usage and other data.
“Every interaction on the platform became a data point revealing information about the user,” the release said, in part. “This tracking applied to not only to adults’ accounts, but also kids’ profiles.”
Netflix then shared the data information with commercial data brokers and advertising technology companies, Paxton said in the lawsuit.
“Netflix has built a surveillance program designed to illegally collect and profit from Texans’ personal data without their consent, and my office will do everything in our power to stop it,” Paxton said.
The lawsuit also alleges Netflix deliberately engineered its platform to be addictive, citing its autoplay feature as a tool designed to keep users — including children — watching for extended periods.
The lawsuit requests that Netflix stop collecting and disclosing user data without consent, and disable autoplay by default on children’s profiles.
Paxton is seeking to hold Netflix accountable under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
In a statement to KSAT, a Netflix spokesperson said the lawsuit “lacks merit and is based on inaccurate and distorted information.”
The company’s entire statement can be read below:
Respectfully to the great state of Texas and Attorney General Paxton, this lawsuit lacks merit and is based on inaccurate and distorted information. Netflix takes our members’ privacy seriously and complies with privacy and data‑protection laws everywhere we operate. We look forward to addressing the Texas Attorney General’s allegations in court and further explaining our industry-leading, kid‑friendly parental controls and transparent privacy practices.
Netflix
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