Meta refutes claims that it provided Netflix with access to users’ private messages, dismissing allegations from a court filing related to a data privacy lawsuit. The document alleges a “special relationship” between Netflix and Facebook, suggesting Netflix had access to Meta’s “Inbox API” for programmatic access to private messages. However, Meta’s communications director, Andy Stone, disputes this, stating Netflix’s access was for users to message friends about what they were watching, not to read private messages.
This denial contrasts with previous reports alleging that Netflix and Spotify could read users’ private messages, though Meta refuted these claims in 2018. Concerns linger about the extent of access provided to Netflix and the close relationship between the companies, including Netflix’s significant advertising spending on Facebook and agreements for data sharing.
The lack of default end-to-end encryption in Messenger until December 2023 raises further questions about message security. The document also highlights discussions between Netflix and Facebook executives, including Reed Hastings and Mark Zuckerberg, regarding advertising budgets and strategic partnerships. The relationship between the two companies raises concerns about data privacy and the influence of advertising partnerships on platform decisions.
