Netflix has been a big component of the streaming business and has existed even before the streaming era with its DVD rental service back in the day. The competition in the streaming era is high and Netflix is among one of the most accessed and popular platforms on the planet. However, the reputation of the brand is now hit pretty badly by a damning lawsuit.
Documents that were unsealed recently have now revealed sinister activity between Netflix and Facebook. They revealed that the two companies signed a deal that allegedly allowed Netflix to have access to Facebook users’ direct messages, which goes against the company’s policy regarding privacy.
New Court Docs Reveal Horrifying Reality About Netflix’s $100M Deal With Facebook
Netflix and Facebook are now charged with a damaging lawsuit that reveals the two companies agreed to a deal that allegedly allowed the former to have free reign over Facebook users’ inbox messages. Further details about the cancellation of the infamous Facebook Watch were also included in the documents.
The class-action lawsuit that was filed last year in April recently unsealed damaging documents that revealed that Netflix and Facebook had a special relationship for a decade. This was due to Netflix’s ex-CEO Reed Hastings’ close bond with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who even put Hastings on as a board member of the company. The fillings wrote, (via Gizmodo)
“For nearly a decade, Netflix and Facebook enjoyed a special relationship,” said plaintiffs in filings made public on Saturday. “It is no great mystery how this close partnership developed, and who was its steward: from 2011-2019, Netflix’s then-CEO Hastings sat on Facebook’s board and personally directed the companies’ relationship…”
The documents further claim that Facebook allegedly gave Netflix access to the Titan API (Application Programming Interface), which allowed the streamer to peek into direct messages of Facebook users (via Fox Business). Hastings coming on as a board member also allegedly led to Facebook canceling its Facebook Watch feature which was proving to be competition to Netflix, in exchange for a $100 million advertising deal as reported by Gizmodo.
Facebook/ Meta’s communications director Andy Stone refuted these claims on X, stating that they never gave access to private messages to Netflix. The agreement only was about people sharing what they were watching on Netflix with their Facebook friends through the streamer. He wrote,
“Shockingly untrue. Meta didn’t share people’s private messages with Netflix. The agreement allowed people to message their friends on Facebook about what they were watching on Netflix, directly from the Netflix app. Such agreements are commonplace in the industry.”
Another spokesperson from Meta also denied these accusations telling Fox Business that “the facts will show this complaint is meritless.”. It looks like this is gonna be a serious court battle and it remains to be seen who emerges victorious and what all is true.
Ted Sarandos Is Happy With The Performances of Recent Netflix Original Films
Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos recently talked about the current state of Netflix, the departure of Scott Stuber, and what the company is planning next for its movie slate. He stated that the streamer’s original films are doing great for the company and audiences are loving these films.
Sarandos gave the examples of Leave the World Behind, Society of the Snow, and The Mother (which he claims was the most-watched movie last year. He added that audiences only care about films that make them laugh and cry, something they want to talk about after watching them. He said (via Deadline),
“Our original movies are attracting some of the biggest audiences in the world. Look at the crazy memes about the creepy deers when that movie came out, or Society of the Snow which was nominated for two Oscars. Or even look back last year at Jennifer Lopez’s great movie, The Mother.
By some accounts, it was the most-watched movie in the world last year. Fans don’t really care about budgets and windows, they just want a movie that they love. They want a movie to make them cry, or make them laugh, or give them something great to talk about over dinner”
Millie Bobby Brown’s Damsel also did well recently for the streamer. Upcoming films like Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon: Part 2 – The Scargiver, Mark Wahlberg’s The Union, and Glen Powell’s Hit Man are expected to continue this successful audience draw for the streamer.
