The Netherlands’ Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, AP) has fined Netflix €4.75 million for failing to adequately inform customers about its handling of personal data between 2018 and 2020.
An investigation by the AP, initiated in 2019, revealed that Netflix’s privacy practices were insufficiently transparent and fell short of the requirements set by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The streaming giant’s privacy policy lacked clarity regarding its data processing activities, and customers who sought information about their personal data were not provided with adequate details.
Netflix collects a range of personal data from its users, including email addresses, phone numbers, payment information, and details about viewing habits. However, the AP found several critical shortcomings in the company’s disclosures:
- Lack of clarity on purposes and legal grounds: Netflix did not adequately explain why it collected certain types of personal data or the legal basis for doing so.
- Data sharing with third parties: The company provided insufficient details about which entities it shared user data with and for what reasons.
- Data retention periods: Netflix did not clearly specify how long it retained personal data.
- International data transfers: Information about safeguards for data sent outside Europe was incomplete.
The investigation was prompted by complaints from None of Your Business (noyb), an Austrian privacy advocacy organization. As Netflix’s European headquarters are based in the Netherlands, the AP took the lead, coordinating with other EU data protection authorities to ensure compliance with GDPR.
The AP determined that Netflix violated key GDPR provisions requiring transparency and accessibility in its privacy practices.
Netflix has since updated its privacy policy and improved its customer information processes. However, the company has filed an objection to the fine.
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