Are Netflix and Google Sharing Data?

LaAlgerie

Hi, I've looked up where to put this and found other threads in IS so here it is.

A while back I noticed that things I was watching on Netflix were suddenly popping up on Youtube. All the usual nonsense timewasting videos. But I wondered was it a coincidence. A number of times during lockdown I've watching films or TV well-outside my usual interests, and the very next time I went on Youtube, there's videos front and center on what I just watched.

If you are not at all interested in data privacy etc. that's cool, but some of us are.

How is it happening? Netflix's privacy policy is full of vague language, although they do explicitly say they will search for your social media profiles and aggregate info. There are vague references to sharing information. Read "sharing" as very possibly "selling" where it suits them.

Could it be the ISP?

I've heard of both cases; major content providers and ISPs both selling data.

I keep my Google-contact to a minimum as it is and I'm thinking about cancelling my Netflix subscription. You would never get a straight answer out of either of them.

Any one seen anything about this?

DeconSheridan

My understanding is that they all share if they feel the company or service comes under the "Trusted Partner / Service" umbrella. They scoop up browsing history and search data. It wouldn't surprise me at all if they key log everything.

Netflix
https://help.netflix.com/legal/privacy

Information from partners: We collect information from other companies with whom you have a relationship (“Partners”).



Google
https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en-US#infocollect

We collect information about your activity in our services, which we use to do things like recommend a YouTube video you might like. The activity information we collect may include:
= >Activity on third-party sites and apps that use our services


It's a bit disturbing the level and how deep this goes.

LaAlgerie

I think there is a very reasonable middle-path between complete consumer ignorance and complete tinfoil-hat, and that's just taking reasonable steps with your private information. I'm pretty disappointed I have to say, Netflix was a staple, I would always keep it for kids in the wider family dropping by, mates watching something funny...but I'm not having it. I've asked them to delete my account and all info.

DeconSheridan

It's the world we live in where the real currency is people's data. Ironically not using Netflix wont change you're data being scooped up from other G "Partners" across the net from websites to any service, even devices now like android OS have this behaviour embedded in the devices OS. You would need apps and devices that anonymize against this sort of thing if you really don't want your data shared in this manner.
Personally I don't like the sharing but for convenience I use these "free" services for various different reasons.

Impetus

GDPR - Netflix or whoever must get customer consent to share data with Google etc.

While I haven't read the 100 odd pages of the customer agreement, it seems to me that the EU/GDPR setup is negligent in not requiring companies to show key bullet points on their data sharing practices up front.

People don't have the time to read a bible of stuff before clicking on the OK icon. And all these popups are a useless waste of time anyway. Because if one wants to complain, the Irish data privacy idiots require one to communicate with google etc providing your name, address, IP number (stolen anyway) date of birth and in some cases a copy of one's ID. Otherwise they won't process a complaint. ie they are forcing one to give one's private away to these *astards as part of the complaint process. Which is a mega racket of useless government.

Data Protection in Ireland needs to be shut down. It is largely engaged in spamming complainers with stuff that forces one to disclose identity to a system of industrial theft of personal identifiable information. Which defeats the objective of GDPR. Which implies a corrupt national government in Ireland and a corrupt EU.

Netflix is expensive (ie not like youtube) - how dare it share customer data. There is no discount option if you click an OK to a 'rape me'/ trade my data checkbox.

I suspect Reed Hastings, Netflix's CEO travels to Europe every so often. Why has he not been arrested and tried for breach of GDPR? The 4% of revenues fine is not enough. These *astards running this personal information theft racket should be imprisoned for 20 years plus.

LaAlgerie

Netflix - yep I gave up on them. Account deleted.



Agreed about the Irish Data Protection Commission, the more you find out about them, the more you see how ill-equipped they are, and that suits the tech establishment here.



Did you see an Austrian organisation is going after the IDPC for delays and negligence?


Legal challenge over alleged failure to progress data complaints
Irish Examiner - July 6 2020


https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/legal-challenge-over-alleged-failure-to-progress-data-complaints-1009606.html


Irish regulator mismanaged Facebook privacy probe, says Austrian campaigner
Politico EU - 25 May 2020


https://www.politico.eu/article/irish-regulator-mismanaged-facebook-privacy-probe-austrian-campaigner-max-schrems/

DeconSheridan

There are some Open Source solutions to mitigate against this Intrusive Ads and Data Collection. There are multiple solutions from Browser addons right down to setting up your own DNS server say on a spare PC or older machine. The goal of the software is to sanitize traffic before it gets to the Internet or to you utilmatley blocking intrusive geo ads and Data collection behaviour. I have had good success with the basic browser addons ad blockers but there a per machine on that browser while you use it solution!

I came across this Solution while looking at upgrades and other solutions and uses for Ubuntu Server. The site below offers a solution that would block all (advertising and data collection) traffic from all machines on your network. Depending on your own network setup it may or may not suit.

ADGUARD :: Surf the Web Ad-Free and Safely. Shield up!

Impetus

Everything is shared, or so it seems to me in Ireland.

I was looking in a major technology company website - not European. I clicked on nearest dealer icon. I was in Ireland at the time. The next page was pre-filled my address ie my full address, down to house number and eircode. Almost certainly from myIP number.

I did the same thing in Germany with the same company, and it only zoomed in on my PLZ (ie the 5 digit postcode that is similar to the old Dublin postal district numbers).

Conclusion: Ireland allows ISPs to sell eircodes to IP number tables to everybody - if South Korea - probably North Korea too, Russia and the US etc.

Successive Irish governments have allowed Capita, which is based in a non-EU country, well known for state terrorism for the past 800 years or so, to create a user-unfriendly but accurate to 1 m addressable target on your home or apartment and sell it to the world. Otherwise I can't see how my IP number produced my full address pre-filled on a Korean website. Because I told them nothing, and always clear my cookies regularly.

Gov.ie and the people they employ are not your friend.

smuggler.ie

You want service - you have to "Agree" to terms. It is your responsibility to fully understand them BEFORE you agree. And closing account not necessary removes data that you already left behind.

People just don't realize/ignore how much they, themselves, trade for certain "comfort" using some "features" build-in on browser of choice, then make incorrect assumptions...
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/automatically-fill-your-address-web-forms
https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/142893?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4027718/microsoft-edge-automatically-fill-info

Once we (and i say WE as i have done same) clicked "Agree and Continue" (who ever reads that bible!!! ), we already sold our soul... info and how it'll be used is hard to grasp, even if you read ALL T.&C.
And this is not specific to G, its with every App or service you ever had/have.
Third party's don't even need your personal details for "relevant" ad's to be shown to specifically you. All we are numbered like cattle... long time ago and with consent. Service provider has your identity and assigns you unique ID. After that, "ad's of interest" can be provided to that ID by provider or its "affiliate partners" without even need to have other details except know your ID "interests". No personal data shared.

Think ! What we've done to our children, when we open accounts, on their behalf, on G, FB, YT, IG, TW, etc., think what your parents(if you underage) done to you, without consent...
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=child+suing+parents+for+posting+pictures+on+FB
It cannot be undone.


Feel free to ignore all this paranoia, forget it... and its weekend....

duffman13

Weirdly enough, I started watching Cobra Kai on netflix over the weekend and facebook/YouTube are throwing up tonnes of suggested videos for Cobra Kai and the Karate Kid. I cant remember if I IMDB'd it and that maybe why but yeah, tech companies know everything by the looks of it

inthenip

Its more on the way adds are setup. Netflix pay Google to promote their content.

Its all based on your browsing history.

I was on MandMdirect getting a few bits of clothes and left the stuff in the basket as got busy with work. Half the sites I went onto were displaying the stuff i had in the basket as adds.

Its how google make their money.