The Criterion Channel Discloses Subscriber Data to Third Parties Without Consent, Class Action Lawsuit Alleges

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that the company behind the Criterion Channel has violated a federal privacy law by disclosing subscribers’ personal information to third parties without permission.

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According to the 28-page privacy lawsuit, the Criterion Collection, LLC, which operates the video streaming service, quietly shares a user’s personal data and video-viewing activity with third parties each time the consumer accesses the app or visits CriterionChannel.com.

The case claims these intentional disclosures violate the Video Privacy Protection Act, a federal law that bars a “video tape service provider” from transmitting users’ private information without consent.

Per the class action suit, the defendant captures subscriber data through third-party tracking software embedded into the Criterion Channel platforms. The third parties that receive the harvested information, including Twilio and Vimeo, then utilize the data to launch targeted advertising campaigns or perform analytics services, the complaint explains.

The filing asserts that when a subscriber uses the Criterion Channel app or website, the tracking technology transmits the consumer’s full name, email address and user ID, along with the title, ID and URL of any videos they view.

The lawsuit against Criterion Collection argues that by sharing this combination of personal information—in particular, an individual’s user ID—the company has disclosed enough data that an “ordinary person” could identify its users.

The suit looks to represent anyone in the United States who used the Criterion Channel streaming service to watch videos and had their personally identifiable information transmitted to a third party without consent.

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