By now, most people using the Internet know that pretty much every single service they use is siphoning off as much user data from them as possible. However, the smart portion of the population won't put up with this and will opt out of as much of this garbage as possible, or simply switch to more efficient, less scummy services. But if you aren't interested in dropping Netflix anytime soon, this guide will show you how to STOP Netflix from sharing your watch history with third-party advertisers.
Takeaways:
- How do you disable data collection in Netflix?
- Is there a way to stop Netflix from selling my data to advertisers?
Table of Contents
What Information Does Netflix Collect and Sell?
Netflix scrapes up every single bit of data about how you use the platform. Not only the movies and shows you watch, but also how you watch that content and how you interact with content that you don't watch. Even if you aren't watching something, all the scrolling and indecision you make gets vacuumed up as well.
This information helps Netflix understand your preferences and lets it personalise recommendations. If all of this information stayed on the platform and was only used to help your profile suggest things to you more accurately. People wouldn't be too annoyed. But! Netflix is greedy like every other company operating on the Internet, so they sell all of this data to third parties who do whatever they like with it.
Will Recommendations Still Work After Making the Change?
Yep! You don't have to worry about everything getting screwed up. Netflix will continue using your watch history and activity within its own platform to recommend movies and shows you are likely to enjoy. Disabling external data sharing does not impact recommendations, account functionality, or access to features. BUT! There's always a but, you have to trust that making the change actually does something. There's no real way of knowing if they respect your choice or if it's just an empty gesture.
How to Stop Netflix From Sharing Your Data
At the moment, these settings can only be changed through Netflix's desktop website. They are not available through the mobile app or most TV applications. Typically, this is by design to reduce the likelihood of people actually taking the time to disable the feature. It's one of the reasons they also hide these features deep inside submenus...
- Sign in to Netflix using a desktop web browser.
- Click your profile icon and select Account.
- Scroll down and choose Manage Profiles.
- Select the profile you want to update.
- Open Privacy and Data Settings.
- Turn off any available data-sharing and advertising options.
IMPORTANT: If multiple people use the same Netflix account, each profile must be updated individually. Changing the settings on one profile does not automatically apply the same privacy preferences to the others. To fully limit data sharing across the account, every profile should be updated separately.
