Netflix sued by Texas for allegedly spying on children, addicting users

Netflixwas sued on Monday by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused the streaming company ofspying on children and otherconsumers by collecting their data without consent, and designing its platform to be addictive.

Texas saidNetflixhas for years falsely represented to consumers that it did not collect or share user data, when it actually tracked viewing habits and preferences and sold the data to commercial data brokers and advertising technology companies, making billions of dollars a year.

The complaint quoted formerNetflixChief Executive Reed Hastings as saying in 2020 “we don’t collect anything,” as he sought to distinguishNetflixfrom Amazon.com, Facebook, Googlewith regard to data collection.

“When you watchNetflix,Netflixwatches you,” according to the complaint filed in a state court in Collin County, near Dallas.

Netflixdid not immediately respond to a request for comment.