Netflix Sold Us OUT- Huge Class Action Lawsuit- Netflix Settles for a Mere $9 Million

They are settling for a paltry $ 9 million, it appears, after illegally selling all our info to third parties, and keeping track of user-identifiable viewing habits for way too long.

www.videoprivacyclass.com...

AMENDED ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT



I didn't even know this was going on.

And I was considering cancelling anyway, cause not been all that thrilled with their stock of online movies lately.

But THIS?

What the heck are you doing Netflix? There's been multiple lawsuits against them over this, apparently.

And the settlement looks like it's going to go to...Not you, or not me, or those directly affected! NO, why it's going to go to some kind of pool used to distribute to organizations that fight for privacy rights. Because obviously $ 9 million after all the fees are taken out for attorneys ( ) amounts to nothing to each individual user.

But a bigger question is should this warrant cancelling for sure? I mean why trust them again to safeguard our information?

I'm not going to cancel. Google already has your info, my info... Everyone's. They sold us out, too.

Eight dollars for tons of good shows, TA! There's no way I'm canceling.

ETA

When I first got the email I was a little upset, but it's not a very big deal.

Did anyone actually still think their activity on the net was not monitored, tracked and than sold to the highest bidder?

I mean I haven't operated under that delusion for some time...

Yeah great. More complacency. Just let them keep screwing us. No problem.

I did not authorize Netflix to give or sell my info to anyone. But it's ok! How much further do I bend over? No grease? No problem!

Jeez man. Fricken sad.

i have a subscription to netflix as well. im reading the links provided and trying to figure out whats going on. i know they sold our info like google..was reading about a lot of bad things going on at netflix months ago.

can someone dumb down what is exactly going on, how the out come affects current users? should we cancel?

Yeah well if I had the start up capital, you better believe I'd seize the opportunity, mount a massive advertizing campaign, and provide a trustworthy organization that would never do such a thing on my watch, by God. No matter HOW MUCH money I was offered for my customer's info. That's total BS.

reply to post by TrueAmerican

Yeah great. More complacency. Just let them keep screwing us. No problem.

We kinda screw ourselves on these types of things.

We keep giving them info to sell, if you don't like that they do that cancel your service.

Anywhere you type anything on the net its getting tracked by someone, be it advertisers or worse.

So if people don't practice information security with their info its a bit of fool me once shame on you, fool me the 1000th news story of this happening... well... you know.

This is not surprising considering how much money usage data is worth. This is just more bad PR for a company that has yet to recover from the failure of "Quikster." =\

I'm pretty sure any where you go they sell your information to third parities. Like why would another site matter.? Hmm, curious if ATS does it too?

I bet this is how TSA chooses their victims. My dad and brother are still waiting to get their feel up.

I got this email and I assume it as fake etc.

Why would someone email every single user/past user with this info? Wouldn't a press release be easier?(as with the Ticket Master case)

I think that whole thing is currently a sham. Even if companies really do sell your info, random emails like this are not to be trusted!

reply to post by TheBloodRed


It's not fake. It's all over the net. Many articles.

Netflix Video Privacy Class Action Settlement

July 27, 2012

If You Are a Current or Former Netflix Subscriber A Class Action Settlement Could Affect You.

A class action settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against Netflix, Inc. (“Netflix” or “Defendant”) pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (styled In re Netflix Privacy Litigation, No. 5:11-cv-00379-EJD), alleging, among other things, that Netflix kept and disclosed information, including records on the movies and TV shows its customers viewed, in violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act and other laws, according to the Netflix Video Privacy class action settlement notice.

The Netflix Video Privacy Settlement Class includes, unless otherwise excluded, anyone in the U.S. or its territories who is a current or former Netflix subscriber as of July 5, 2012.

Under the Netflix Video Privacy class settlement Netflix has reportedly agreed to change its data retention practices so that it separates (known as “decoupling”) Entertainment Content Viewing History (that is, movies and TV shows that someone watched) from identification information for those subscribers who have not been a Netflix for at least 365 days, subject to certain exceptions.

classactionlawsuitsinthenews.com...

That's just one link. Search on it and see for yourself.

reply to post by TrueAmerican


Like a previous poster stated, I'm using my own words.

How is this data leak damaging? How is any of this data unique to netflix?

I don't understand why you're so up in arms over this. It's all tracked, who cares?

Originally posted by litterbaux
It's all tracked, who cares?

We should frame that one.

:shk:

I suppose when they come to your house to haul you off under the Patriot Act or NDAA, claiming you are some kind of terrorist because all you watch is spy movies or whatever on Netflix, you still won't care. You won't care all the way until Bubba is reaming you in a secret prison somewhere. No grease, no problem. (I think I said that already once, but nice how it ties in though.) Point is, Netflix has no business selling our viewing habits to anyone. Period. I care. ok?

I'm glad I never used Netflix...When Facebook first went public some weeks back, I predicted the stock would tank for the same reason that it did...the only real revenue generating methods they have, besides advertising to the users, is to sell user information. That is why I never joined Fbook or many other social media sites as well. My grandmother, about a week ago, was looking for some insurance information, and she put her phone number and name in a box to get a quote on insurance prices...

Well she has gotten around 6 calls a day, every single day since then, despite the fact she keeps telling the people to stop calling her. My point is that there is a big market for your information, and a lot of businesses are trying to cash in on this...It very well should be illegal to do, as it is just wrong. Sites that have personal information should be required to keep that sensitive information confidential imo.

reply to post by TrueAmerican


I care but what can be done about it is the question. Anyone out there can find out whatever they want to about you if they pay enough money. Your address, your cell phone number, how many people live in your home and their names, where you work etc. The only way to avoid it is to go completely off the grid ... Something I personally am not going to do.

It should be known Google makes their money on advertising, in turn we get things at little to no cost. All Google services, Android the mobile OS is free, Google is making no profit off the 7" tablet the Nexus 7. Not a bad trade off to me ...

Netflix does not have much info on me, maybe an email address and physical address ... I am not to alarmed over them telling someone I watched 3 seasons of Pawn Stars, ancient aliens etc. Does them telling others about my Netflix habits result in why I only pay 8 bucks a month ?

Think the real question here is what can we actually do about it and would we be willing to pay higher prices as consumers for services we enjoy? What would be interesting is if they offered 2 packages, 8 dollars a month and we sell your viewing habits or 20 dollars a month and we don't what would people chose ?

Originally posted by TrueAmerican
I suppose when they come to your house to haul you off under the Patriot Act or NDAA, claiming you are some kind of terrorist because all you watch is spy movies or whatever on Netflix, you still won't care.

I understand your concern but if TPTB wanted you hauled off you will be hauled off, regardless of what you watch on Netflix ...

Not like they actually have to have some concrete factual information to take away your rights, I am sure they can make something up, make you sound like a monster and lock you away forever all on a lie ...

But I be damned if I am going to change the way I live or live in fear over it for the rest of my life ...

Originally posted by Tazkven
I care but what can be done about it is the question.

Well I thought about it, and I've pulled the plug and cancelled mine. If Netflix was a free service, I would have a whole lot more understanding. But it is a PAID service. They've been slowly changing that privacy policy, and making incrementally bad moves. It is so bloated and utterly NON PRIVATE now, after reading their terms again, it is absolutely ridiculous. They're sending your info overseas, globally, where they even warn you in the terms that despite this very act, your information is not secure. And then they want to you indemnify them if anything happens- from their own act!

Netflix can kiss it. I read most of it and made the determination that I wanted out of there before I even finished reading it. It sucks. I strongly urge all of you to go into your account there and start clicking around on the terms and contracts, and... MAN! Seriously, you guys need to see what's really in there.

I'm done. The end of Netflix for me. I had no idea we were that exposed.

I got the email and immeditely called netflix, they gave me an 800# and said they would send me a package outlining what was happening. I should get it anytime now, I kinda figured they knew what we watched (the rate what you saw thing) but never figured it would be of any importance to anyone. I think I'll be truly outraged when they add porn to the list and say we are mass murders for vewing it.

reply to post by TrueAmerican

This is one place where the people can and should speak loud and clear. And every time someone closes their account like the OP has, the voice of the people gets louder, until netflix has no choice but to shut the doors because they have no business left.

The people of this planet have a voice, but they refuse to use it en masse. Therefore, big business will continue running roughshod over them. Punish netflix by running them out of business, and you send the rest of these grifters a little message. "Yes, We Can."

Netflix started out as an up and coming giant like Google.

It almost put Blockbuster out of business. Now redbox and Amazon will.

Then they started screwing up and screwing up.

I canceled mine simply because there is nothing on there I want to watch.

Just another nail in the Netflix coffin.