A lawsuit filed this week by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier accuses Netflix of tracking children’s data and selling that information to advertisers. The filing alleges Netflix misled consumers by claiming it would stay ad‑free and refrain from collecting user data.
What the complaint alleges
According to the lawsuit, “Netflix’s representations that it would remain ad-free, refrain from collecting and integrating user data, and design kids profiles to protect children were made at the highest levels of the company.” The complaint further claims that “behind the scenes, Netflix was accumulating years of consumer data and building the behavioral-surveillance infrastructure that it would ultimately deploy for its advertising business in November 2022.”
In a statement, Uthmeier said the case centers on parental control over kids’ privacy: “This lawsuit is about parents, because it’s parents who should oversee the privacy of their kids, not a big tech company that’s profiting despite public safety. Parents, not streaming corporations need to direct the upbringing of children.”
Netflix’s response
Netflix denies the allegations. “Netflix takes our members’ privacy seriously,” the company said. “We comply with privacy and data‑protection laws everywhere we operate and have dedicated safeguards in place for kids who watch content on Netflix. This lawsuit lacks merit and we intend to vigorously defend the matter in court.”
Related context noted by TheWrap
TheWrap reported that Uthmeier’s lawsuit follows a February action in California against Roblox alleging the platform created an inappropriate digital hub for children and permitted predators to exploit minors. That lawsuit alleged, “Roblox portrays its platform as a safe and appropriate place for children to play. In reality, and as Roblox well knows, the design of its platform makes children easy prey for pedophiles.”
TheWrap also reported Roblox had 151 million daily active users in its third quarter and nearly 400 million monthly active users, with around 40% under age 13, while alleging the platform’s safety assurances were contradicted by its design and monetization choices.
What’s not yet clear
The filing date, case number, and next court steps were not provided in the material above. The claims in the Florida lawsuit are allegations, and Netflix disputes them.
