JustWatch Faces Class Action Lawsuit for Disclosing Consumer Data Without Consent

Case Update: In February 2025, the federal district court judge denied JustWatch’s motion to dismiss, allowing Dwoskin Wasdin and co-counsel to continue pursuing the case.

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The Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) was passed in 1988 to protect consumers from having their video rental information disclosed without their consent. While consumers’ methods of accessing video content have changed, the need to protect their privacy has become more critical than ever.

Eric Dwoskin and Arrowood LLP lead a class action lawsuit against JustWatch for installing hidden tracking codes on its website and disseminating the user information collected with third-party marketing companies, including Meta.

According to the complaint, filed in the United States District Court of Massachusetts, JustWatch violated the VPPA by tracking and disclosing consumers’ video viewing history every time they requested or watched video content on their website, JustWatch.com.

The complaint alleges that Meta and other companies combined this personal information with other information gathered about each consumer from other sources to use for marketing and advertising purposes.  

“As legislators remarked when proposing the VPPA in the late 1980s, our right to privacy protects the choice of movies that we watch with our family and the selection of books that we choose to read – information that is deeply personal and private,” said Dwoskin. “That sentiment still rings true today, even as technology and video streaming capabilities have evolved. Consumers still maintain their right to privacy, and through this case, we’re exercising that right to ensure it remains protected.”

The lawsuit seeks to recover damages incurred by JustWatch customers nationwide as a result of the company’s practices and hold it accountable for its actions.