Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix, accusing the company of secretly collecting and selling user data without consent while misleading consumers about its privacy practices. The lawsuit alleges that Netflix tracked viewers’ habits, preferences, and online behavior for years and shared the information with advertising technology firms and data brokers for profit.
The complaint, filed in a state court in Collin County near Dallas, also claims Netflix intentionally designed its platform to be addictive through features such as autoplay, which automatically starts new content after a show ends. Texas officials argue that the company used “dark patterns” to keep users, including children and families, engaged for longer periods while harvesting their data. Attorney General Paxton stated that the company’s actions violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Netflix denied the allegations and said it would challenge the lawsuit in court. A company spokesperson said Netflix respects user privacy and complies with data protection laws in every market where it operates. The lawsuit seeks penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, demands the deletion of allegedly collected data, and calls for restrictions on targeted advertising without user consent.
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