Florida has taken Netflix to court, accusing the streaming company of building a vast data-collection system under the cover of an ad-free, family-friendly brand — then using that infrastructure to power an advertising business.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Florida state court by Attorney General James Uthmeier, alleges that Netflix violated state laws governing unfair and deceptive practices. Florida claims the company gathered extensive information about users, deployed interface designs meant to keep subscribers watching, made cancellation harder, and discouraged the use of privacy-protective settings.
Uthmeier is seeking unspecified damages, along with a court order that would require Netflix to stop collecting and monetizing user data. The complaint also asks for changes to Netflix’s interface, among other requested relief.
“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,” the complaint states.
Florida’s “Bait-and-Switch” Claim
At the center of the case is Florida’s allegation that Netflix marketed itself for years as a kid-friendly, ad-free alternative to major tech platforms, while quietly collecting detailed behavioral data that could later be used for advertising.
The complaint points to Netflix statements about avoiding the integration of user data in the manner associated with companies such as Google, Amazon and Meta. It also cites a 2019 shareholder letter that described the absence of advertising as a “deep part of our brand proposition.”
According to the lawsuit, Netflix was nevertheless collecting highly specific information about subscriber activity on the service. Florida says that included searches, pauses, rewatches, browsing and scrolling behavior, and device information.
The filing also cites a 2016 remark attributed to a Netflix engineer: “We’re really a [data] logging company … a logging company that occasionally streams movies.”
Florida alleges that the scope of Netflix’s data operation was immense, claiming the company was collecting roughly 550 billion events per day as early as 2016. The state argues that Netflix later monetized that infrastructure when it launched its advertising business in 2022, which the complaint characterizes as a betrayal of prior representations about the company’s business model.
Advertising, Targeting and Children’s Data
The lawsuit claims Netflix’s advertising operation allows advertisers to connect their own data with Netflix profiles to improve audience targeting and behavioral insights. Florida alleges the ad business includes demographic and lifestyle information such as education, marital status, household income and household makeup.
The complaint also focuses heavily on children and families. Florida alleges Netflix used an addictive design interface, particularly through autoplay, to keep users — including children — watching longer. The state says the purpose of that continued engagement was to collect more data.
Florida further claims Netflix falsely represented that it did not engage in behavioral advertising within kids profiles, while failing to disclose how extensively it collected and analyzed children’s viewing behavior. The lawsuit alleges Netflix effectively knows a child’s interests, anxieties, routines and attention patterns.
“Netflix told Florida families they could pay a monthly fee to escape Big Tech surveillance. That was false,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “Netflix collected detailed data on children and families, designed its product to keep kids watching, and then commercialized that information to launch the advertising business it promised never to build.”
Netflix did not respond to a request for comment, according to the source material.
A Broader Push Against Big Tech
The Netflix case is the latest move by Florida officials targeting technology and platform companies over data collection, user engagement and safety practices. Earlier this year, Uthmeier sued TikTok and OpenAI over safety features on their platforms.
Florida also opted out of a $17 billion multi-state settlement with Meta, which allegedly failed to protect minors.
The new Netflix lawsuit places the streaming company within that broader enforcement push, but the claims are specifically tied to the company’s data practices, its user interface and the evolution of its advertising business. Florida’s filing portrays Netflix’s shift into advertising not simply as a business expansion, but as the culmination of years of alleged user tracking that the state says conflicted with the image Netflix presented to subscribers.
What Happens Next?
The case now moves forward in Florida state court. Uthmeier is asking the court to award damages, force Netflix to stop collecting and monetizing user data, and require interface changes. The complaint’s allegations remain claims unless and until they are proven in court.