Florida AG accuses Netflix of exploiting children’s data, seeks billions in damages

MIAMI — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is suing Netflix, seeking billions of dollars in damages and accusing the streaming company of exploiting the trust parents place in the platform to access children’s viewing habits and keep young users engaged.

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Uthmeier alleges Netflix collects information about children’s clicks, interests and viewing behavior and uses that data to make its service more attractive and potentially addictive to young users.

The lawsuit also accuses Netflix of exposing children to graphic and explicit content that Uthmeier says is inappropriate for their age.

“I believe if we don’t fight back now, we are going to be behind the eight ball,” Uthmeier said. “We’re gonna stand strong. We’re gonna fight back. We’re going to send a message to big tech companies: If you want to hurt our kids, then you will have to pay for it.”

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Uthmeier said the lawsuit is part of a broader effort to hold major technology companies accountable for what he describes as potential harms to children.

He pointed to previous legal action involving Meta, artificial intelligence companies and other technology platforms, saying Florida has taken similar steps to address concerns about how children interact with digital services.

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Uthmeier said he is prepared for a legal battle with Netflix.