ST. JOHNS COUNTY — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit against Netflix in the 7th Judicial Circuit in St. Johns County on September 9, 2026. The complaint accuses the streaming service of deceptive data collection practices that violate state consumer and digital privacy laws.

The lawsuit alleges violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the state’s Digital Bill of Rights. According to the filing, Netflix marketed its service as an ad-free alternative while simultaneously collecting extensive user data.

Uthmeier said Netflix told Florida families they could pay a monthly fee to escape Big Tech surveillance and that the claim was false.

The complaint details how Netflix collected data on user interactions, including what subscribers watched, clicked, paused, replayed, and skipped. It further alleges that the company used autoplay features to keep users watching while logging billions of behavioral data points.

Uthmeier said "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." The suit claims this conduct occurred after the company introduced an ad-supported plan in November 2022.

The filing asserts that Netflix opened Floridians' data to commercial data brokers and advertising platforms following the launch of its ad-supported tier. It also alleges the company allows advertisers to target users based on life stage, income, and household composition.

He added that parents, not streaming corporations, need to direct the upbringing of children. Florida is seeking a court order to purge all data deceptively collected from residents of the state.

The state is also seeking billions of dollars in damages, according to reports. Florida has demanded a jury trial in the case against the streaming giant.

A Netflix spokesperson responded to the allegations in an official statement. "We comply with privacy and data‑protection laws everywhere we operate and have dedicated safeguards in place for kids who watch content on Netflix," the spokesperson said.

"This lawsuit lacks merit and we intend to vigorously defend the matter in court," the spokesperson added. Netflix states it shares privacy statements and terms of use with members annually.

The company notes that subscribers can manage advertising preferences and turn off behavioral ads. Netflix also states that parents can filter content by maturity rating or block specific programming, and that members can disable autoplay for episodes and trailers.

Uthmeier took office as Florida Attorney General in February 2025. Governor Ron DeSantis appointed him to replace former Attorney General Ashley Moody, who resigned to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio. Uthmeier previously served as chief of staff to DeSantis.

This lawsuit is part of a broader pattern of litigation initiated by the Florida Attorney General's office. Florida sued Snap Inc. in April 2025 for violating state law regarding social media design features. The state also sued OpenAI and TikTok in June 2026.

A lawsuit against Roblox regarding child safety is currently pending in Florida. Additionally, he stated in March 2026 that his office would investigate Discord over concerns about child grooming. Florida did not join a recent settlement with Meta.

Why It Matters

The lawsuit targets the commercialization of behavioral data and the protection of children's privacy under state law. By alleging violations of the Digital Bill of Rights and statutes governing consent for sensitive data, the case tests the boundaries of digital privacy enforcement against major technology platforms. The state's demand for data purging and damages shows the scale of the alleged infractions.

This action fits into a documented sequence of legal challenges brought by Florida against tech companies since 2025. The involvement of multiple state attorneys general, including Texas, suggests a coordinated regional approach to regulating data practices in the streaming and social media sectors. The outcome may influence how digital services structure their advertising models and parental controls.

Timeline

Netflix introduced an ad-supported plan in November 2022. James Uthmeier took office as Florida Attorney General in February 2025. James Uthmeier stated his office will investigate Discord over concerns about child grooming in March 2026.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a complaint against Netflix four months prior to the Florida suit in May 2026. During that same month, Paxton stated that Netflix is not the ad-free and kid-friendly platform it claims to be and has misled consumers while exploiting their private data to make billions. Florida sued OpenAI in June 2026.

What's New

Later reporting clarifies that Netflix must be served, and under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.140(a)(1), a defendant must serve an answer within 20 days after service of original process and the initial pleading, unless a Florida statute prescribes a different time. The complaint specifically alleges that Netflix sold, shared, disclosed, transferred, or made available sensitive personal data, including personal data collected from known children, without obtaining the prior consent required by Section 501.715, Florida Statutes.

Additional statements from the attorney general emphasize that if a company is going to be monitoring every single click and scroll and swipe then people need to be put on notice. He asserted that parents, not streaming corporations, need to direct the upbringing of children and that the state does not want companies creating addictive features for kids. A lawsuit against Roblox regarding child safety is also pending in Florida.