"“In short, Netflix sold subscriptions to its programming as an escape from Big Tech surveillance: pay monthly, avoid tracking,” reads the Texas AG's lawsuit, which was filed May 11 in Texas District Court in Collin County. “Texans trusted that bargain. Netflix broke it-constructing the very data-collection system subscribers paid to escape.”"
"“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 monetize the data for a handsome profit,” according to Texas' complaint. “When you watch Netflix, Netflix watches you.”"
"Paxton also accuses the streamer of using “dark patterns” to keep Netflix users watching their library of shows and movies, such as the autoplay feature that occurs after finishing an episode of a series, which other streaming services also use. The complaint says the feature creates a stream of content to keep users, including children, watching for long periods of time."
"Before Netflix introduced an ad-supported plan in 2022, the streamer had continuously stated that it had no plans to introduce advertisements to its platform. According to the lawsuit, then-CEO Reed Hastings stated on a January 2020 earnings call that the service had no plans to collect user data for ads."
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Netflix, alleging the company deceives customers about collecting or sharing user data. The lawsuit claims Netflix tracked users’ behaviors and preferences, then sold that information to commercial data brokers and advertising technology businesses for billions of dollars annually. The complaint alleges Netflix used dark patterns to keep users watching, including autoplay after episodes end, which can prolong viewing for long periods, including for children. It further alleges Netflix marketed subscriptions as an escape from Big Tech surveillance, but built a data-collection system subscribers paid to avoid. The lawsuit also cites prior statements about not planning advertisements and not collecting data for ads.
#consumer-privacy #data-collection-and-monetization #dark-patterns #childrens-online-safety #streaming-advertising
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