Netflix Accused of Secretly Tracking Texans in New Lawsuit

Netflix is facing a major lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over allegations the streaming giant secretly collected user data and used features designed to keep viewers watching longer.

Filed this week in Texas, the lawsuit accuses Netflix of violating consumer protection laws by allegedly tracking massive amounts of subscriber behavior without being fully transparent about how the information was being used.

According to the complaint, Netflix allegedly logs everything from clicks and pauses to watch history and search activity, processing millions of user interactions every second. The lawsuit also claims the company integrated or shared data with major advertising and analytics platforms despite years of publicly distancing itself from advertising.

And one feature in particular is getting major attention.

Texas is specifically targeting Netflix’s autoplay function, arguing it was intentionally designed to create continuous viewing habits, especially among younger audiences. The lawsuit claims autoplay contributes to addictive viewing behavior by constantly feeding users more content without interruption.

The case arrives at a time when conversations around algorithms, screen addiction, and data privacy continue growing across streaming and social media platforms.

Netflix strongly denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit inaccurate and without merit while defending its parental controls and privacy practices.

Texas is reportedly seeking financial penalties along with demands that Netflix change some of its current data and autoplay practices moving forward.

We’ll keep you updated as this story develops.