Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a formal lawsuit against Netflix. The company is accused of not keeping its promise to be an ad-free and child-safe platform.

The lawsuit filed on Monday alleges that Netflix opened user data to ad technology companies it had previously criticized. It is stated that the platform had an anti-advertising stance in the past, but has changed this stance.

Advertising Strategy and Data Collection Claims

Attorney General Paxton argues that Netflix once marketed the platform as an ‘escape from Big Tech surveillance’. However, it is stated that this situation has completely changed with the introduction of the ad-supported subscription plan in 2022.

The case file claims that Netflix uses the data it collects from children and families for advertisers. It is claimed that the company has established a system that tracks data such as location information, device used, search terms and content ratings.

It is among the accusations that this data was shared with data brokers such as Experian and Acxiom. Netflix’s ad-supported plan doubles its subscriber base to 70 million between 2024 and 2025.

According to data announced in January, the company earned $1.5 billion in revenue from advertising in 2025. Netflix previously faced a similar legal process in Texas in 2020 due to the movie Cuties.

Child Safety and Autoplay Debate

Attorney General Paxton also claims that Netflix misled subscribers about child safety. It is argued that the autoplay feature, which is turned on by default in adult and child profiles, poses a risk.

Paxton claims Netflix violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The court is requested to prevent the collection of user data and to turn off autoplay on children’s profiles.

The company has not yet made an official statement on the subject. What do you think about Netflix’s data policies and advertising strategy?