The Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) fined U.S. streaming service Netflix 4.75 million euros (about 4.98 million U.S. dollars) on Wednesday for not giving customers enough information about how their personal data was used between 2018 and 2020.
According to a press release from the DPA, Netflix collects various personal data from customers, such as email addresses, phone numbers, payment details, and information about what and when customers watch on the platform,reports Xinhua.
DPA chairman Aleid Wolfsen said in the press release, "A company like Netflix, with millions of customers and billions in global revenue, must clearly explain how it handles personal data to its customers. This needs to be completely transparent, especially when customers ask about it. And that was not the case." (1 euro = 1.05 U.S. dollars)
An investigation started by the Dutch DPA in 2019 revealed that Netflix failed to inform customers clearly in its privacy statement about what exactly the company does with those data.
Furthermore, customers did not receive clear answers when they asked Netflix which data the company was collecting about them. According to the DPA, such conduct violates the European Union (EU)'s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
