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By India McCarty
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Netflix, accusing the streamer of “spying on Texans” and collecting user data “without their knowledge or consent.”
“Netflix is not the ad-free and kid-friendly platform it claims to be. Instead, it has misled consumers while exploiting their private data to make billions,” Paxton said in a statement about the suit.
The lawsuit alleges that the streamer built “surveillance machinery” that tracks and logs users’ viewing habits, preferences, devices, household wifi networks, application usage and “other sensitive behavioral data.”
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It also claims Netflix has designed its platform to be addictive, particularly through its “autoplay” function that “creates a continuous stream of content intended to keep users, including children, watching for extended periods of time.”
BREAKING: I just sued Netflix for spying on Texas kids and consumers by illegally collecting users’ data without their knowledge or consent. pic.twitter.com/iJkHyqPbuu
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) May 11, 2026
“Texans would be shocked to learn how extensively Netflix shops their data across Big Ad Tech’s shadowy networks. But under Texas law, consumers should never be left in the dark — users are entitled to the truth through clear and forthright disclosures,” the suit states.
It continues, “Netflix’s years-long bait-and-switch has led the company right to where it promised never to be: addicting children and families to its platform, mining those users for data, and then converting that data into lucrative intelligence for global advertising juggernauts. Simply put, this is deceptive conduct that violates Texas law.”
In a statement from Netflix, a spokesperson said, “Respectfully to the great state of Texas and Attorney General Paxton, this lawsuit lacks merit and is based on inaccurate and distorted information. Netflix takes our members’ privacy seriously and complies with privacy and data‑protection laws everywhere we operate. We look forward to addressing the Texas Attorney General’s allegations in court and further explaining our industry-leading, kid‑friendly parental controls and transparent privacy practices.”
Paxton has even taken on music streamers; in April, he announced Texas would be launching an investigation into sites like Spotify and Apple Music over allegations of payola schemes.
“Music artists deserve to compete on a level playing field, not one distorted by bribes, and listeners deserve transparency in what they are being recommended,” he said in a statement. “That is why I am investigating these popular streaming platforms. I will ensure that if any big streaming service is accepting bribes to push certain content and deceive users, they will be held accountable to restore fairness and integrity in the music industry.”
From Netflix’s potentially shady business practices to payola claims, Paxton is taking on the world of streaming.
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