Parents Accuse Netflix of Data Collection and Addictive Design

Two parents initiated a class action lawsuit against Netflix Inc., claiming the company promotes its service as a secure environment for children while simultaneously engaging in data collection practices. The plaintiffs allege that despite marketing their kids' profiles as safe and separate, Netflix gathers behavioral information from minors using the same logging systems employed across the platform.

The core allegations include the unauthorized monitoring of children's viewing habits—such as what they watch, rewatch, abandon, or search for—to build detailed behavioral profiles. Furthermore, the complaint asserts that Netflix has shared user data with data brokers like Experian and Acxiom since launching advertising in November 2022, all without parental authorization. The suit also cites violations of Ohio consumer protection and product liability laws, pointing to features like default autoplay as manipulative 'dark patterns.'

The plaintiffs seek a jury trial and request that Netflix be ordered to delete data collected from Ohio residents and to disable the default autoplay feature on children's accounts. The proposed class is limited to Ohio residents who subscribed to Netflix as a Household or Extra Member and are parents or legal guardians of one or more minor children. The plaintiffs are represented by George W. Cochran III of the Law Office of George W. Cochran.