Netflix Sued By Lesbian Mother For Privacy Invasion

H

HardOCP News

[H] News
Joined
Dec 31, 1969
Messages
0
Get this…an “in-the-closet” lesbian mother has filed a lawsuit against Netflix for invasion of privacy. How anyone could determine someone’s sexual orientation by the movies they watched seems like a pretty big stretch if you ask me. Real concern here or cash grab?

So it wasn’t surprising that just weeks after the contest began, two University of Texas researchers — Arvind Narayanan and Vitaly Shmatikov — identified several NetFlix users by comparing their “anonymous” reviews in the Netflix data to ones posted on the Internet Movie Database website. Revelations included identifying their political leanings and sexual orientation.
Click to expand...
 
Wait..

Two ladies were closet lesbian. Nexflix "robot" determines their sexual orientation from their browsing habit (which tells us they've been looking at too much lesbian porn obviously).

Nobody knows about their lifestyle - not even the people who work for Netflix. It's just a habit generated ad after all.

They file lawsuit and go public with their outrage at Netflix.

Now everybody knows they're lesbians.

Am I missing anything?
 
Don't you guys find ironic the fact that if she _Really_ wanted to keep her sexual preferences secret, she shouldn't have filed a lawsuit precisely for that, "privacy invasion"?
Nobody ever called her a lesbian, SHE does.
I say she's a money grabber, plain and simple.
 
Ban gay marriage? No.

Ban stupid people from reproducing? Win.
 
Incorrect Azhar, actually after reading the article I'm not sure who called her a lesbian and I'm not so sure she has a love, may even have a husband or be single.

The whole dispute is that they took the Netflix info, took information from IMDB and used that to identify people. Sounds like they put information in a public place and assumed it was xyz people and gleemed information from there on. Don't see how that's Netflix's fault, if she didn't review movies in booth places then there would be connection perhaps there still isn't. As far as I know this is all assumptions. This lady is also heading into far more trouble as suggested although she is suing as Jane Doe. I'm not a legal person but it seems like even with all the legal ranging I can think of all this story needs is to catch a little heat and she will be outted!

Now lets go to the info. I'm pretty sure netflix or anyone looking at my netflix info wouldn't be able to tell much about me in terms of sexual preference. I have and I'll say it a Gay instant watch que, I'm very interested in the GLBT community however I've also had a few movies like Cheerleader ninjas and Suckubus too (the last title sucks terribly) My interests are just that interests, I'd make many babies with pre-surgery Christina Ricci, Tyra Banks, Jennifer Tilly, the secretaries that just came into my office - too many to mention and none I can have :(

I don't think there is much here but I think she could win, but hopefully not the amount she is asking for because that would kill them and I like the service. Also it might spark a ground swell for their second request even if she looses which is to stop the second contest which will give even more info like zip code, gender and race.
 
I think it's funny that the article *could* have been "A bunch of people join a class-action suit against Netflix for handing out data Netflix promised to keep private", but instead they decided to spin it as "One of the people suing Netflix for handing out their private data is a lesbian who doesn't want to be outed". Much more interesting, heh.

My takeaways from the article:

1. Just a note to other posters: the closeted lesbian joined the suit as a "Jane Doe". The reporter hasn't met her and doesn't know her real name, she probably won't appear in public court. She probably doesn't run greater risk of being outed than she did before.

2. A couple of university researchers appear to have already demonstrated that they could take the data Netflix was handing out and identify individual customers and things like sexual orientation and politics, so the plaintiffs appear to have a good case. (The researchers' claim does not seem at all farfetched to me, I personally think Netflix will have a hard time proving them wrong.)

So from the article it appears to me that Netflix told its customers that it would keep their viewing habits private, and then gave the information away. I'm a customer. My viewing habits aren't very interesting, but I have sympathy for customers who had secrets about their private lives given away (whether they be future supreme court nominees or closeted lesbians).
 
bigstusexy said:
Incorrect Azhar, actually after reading the article I'm not sure who called her a lesbian and I'm not so sure she has a love, may even have a husband or be single.

The whole dispute is that they took the Netflix info, took information from IMDB and used that to identify people. Sounds like they put information in a public place and assumed it was xyz people and gleemed information from there on. Don't see how that's Netflix's fault, if she didn't review movies in booth places then there would be connection perhaps there still isn't. As far as I know this is all assumptions. This lady is also heading into far more trouble as suggested although she is suing as Jane Doe. I'm not a legal person but it seems like even with all the legal ranging I can think of all this story needs is to catch a little heat and she will be outted!

Now lets go to the info. I'm pretty sure netflix or anyone looking at my netflix info wouldn't be able to tell much about me in terms of sexual preference. I have and I'll say it a Gay instant watch que, I'm very interested in the GLBT community however I've also had a few movies like Cheerleader ninjas and Suckubus too (the last title sucks terribly) My interests are just that interests, I'd make many babies with pre-surgery Christina Ricci, Tyra Banks, Jennifer Tilly, the secretaries that just came into my office - too many to mention and none I can have :(

I don't think there is much here but I think she could win, but hopefully not the amount she is asking for because that would kill them and I like the service. Also it might spark a ground swell for their second request even if she looses which is to stop the second contest which will give even more info like zip code, gender and race.
Click to expand...

But it still doesn't make any sense. The women claim to be in-the-closet lesbian (yes, I know you assumed they aren't, but the article said they are). If they're in-the-closet, then how could other people identify them to be the people by looking at movie profiles?

Lets say for example, my buddy's gay and I don't know that. But I do know she's Christian and she likes snowboarding. One day I go through Netflix profiles and I see an anonymous poster giving high ratings to the following genre: extreme winter sports, christian movies, and movies featuring gays.

I'd most likely think "haha, yeah I know she likes extreme winter sports and she's a christian, but I doubt it's her because this person sure watch a whole lot of GLBT flicks".

If the public were immediately or accurately able to deduce that the person fitting the rating profile were these lesbian couples, it sure as hell sounds to me like these couples weren't in the closet to begin with.

And even if they were in the closet, well shit, now the whole world knows about it because they let themselves go on the news about it. It's still stupid either way.
 
Easy fix for the lesbian in question. Cancel your subscription you stupid #@$ and get Blockbuster. Just another money grab by lawyers.
 
This may be shocking but this is totally legit and I support it 100%

Read the Article!
People submitted Reviews to movies they were told it was "anonymous" netflix released the information to "researchers" and did not remove or change enough information for it to remain anonymous.

Sounds pretty shitty to me. If my "anonymous" information was released and could be traced back to me i would be pissed. Some people like her (not me) divulge personal information in reviews like sexual orientation because they are offended or uplifted by a movie due to the thought that it is "anonymous" and can not be linked to them. and for bonus netflix wants to do it all again but add your zip code so now it will be even easier.

So you go and get that "$2,500 per person" that sounds pretty cheap for netflix outing its customers.
 
Azhar said:
But it still doesn't make any sense. The women claim to be in-the-closet lesbian (yes, I know you assumed they aren't, but the article said they are). If they're in-the-closet, then how could other people identify them to be the people by looking at movie profiles?
Click to expand...

Simple: You rent 50 movies, 20 of which you rate on IMDB. The 20 should be enough to identify you on Netflix (presumably, you used the same ratings); the 50 should be enough to gauge your sexual and political interests; your IMBD user profile (and a Google search) should be enough to determine your real identity.

Simple #2: You sue anonymously. If you are outed by that, sue again. :)

And if you don't think the above is enough (both to identify you and to justify a law suit):
The suit is also asking the court to stop Netflix from launching its promised second contest to improve the recommendations - this time giving out user data that includes ZIP codes, ages and gender, along with movie ratings and ID numbers substituted for user names.
Click to expand...
 
Uhm... shouldn't she be suing the Internet for showing all of her anonymous reviews?
 
lol meant..

I’m sorry, but how exactly do you get insight into “sexuality, mental illness, recovery from alcoholism, and victimization from incest, physical abuse, domestic violence, adultery, and rape” from my movie rental history? If I watch Waterworld, does that mean I’m a merman?
Click to expand...
 
So how many collage aged guys were profiled as lesbians for their watching habits???
 
TiVO you're next!

From Couch Potato by Weird Al Yankovich (Parody of "Lose Yourself" by Eminem):

Never missed "Melrose Place" or "Lost In Space"
I've seen each "Amazing Race" and "Without A Trace"
But I only watched "Will And Grace" one time one day
Wish I hadn't 'cause TiVo now thinks I'm gay
 
Just another frivolous lawsuit. Very sad. I hope this gets dismissed pronto.
 
I can see how this would happen. I work with a gay guy who added me to his netflix friends. I could DEFINITELY tell his sexual orientation by the movies he rented, no they weren't x-rated (netflix doesn't have that), but when every movie is a same sex love story you'd have to be blind not to assume.

Once he figured out the power of the netflix friends feature he apologized to me and said he would like to remove me haha.
 
Bgrngod said:
Uhm... shouldn't she be suing the Internet for showing all of her anonymous reviews?
Click to expand...

*sigh* It's not the Internet (nor IMBD specifically) that is sharing her zip, age, and gender along with them.
 
Icestation said:
This may be shocking but this is totally legit and I support it 100%

Read the Article!
People submitted Reviews to movies they were told it was "anonymous" netflix released the information to "researchers" and did not remove or change enough information for it to remain anonymous.

Sounds pretty shitty to me. If my "anonymous" information was released and could be traced back to me i would be pissed. Some people like her (not me) divulge personal information in reviews like sexual orientation because they are offended or uplifted by a movie due to the thought that it is "anonymous" and can not be linked to them. and for bonus netflix wants to do it all again but add your zip code so now it will be even easier.

So you go and get that "$2,500 per person" that sounds pretty cheap for netflix outing its customers.
Click to expand...

At least someone read the article! It's like nobody cares that Netflix broke the law by releasing tons of personally identifiable information, everyone just wants to bash on Lesbomom. Good stuff guys :/
 
the sad part is that.. in this country, she may cashed out... never know.. some bonehead judges out there..
 
Pretiacruento said:
Don't you guys find ironic the fact that if she _Really_ wanted to keep her sexual preferences secret, she shouldn't have filed a lawsuit precisely for that, "privacy invasion"?
Nobody ever called her a lesbian, SHE does.
I say she's a money grabber, plain and simple.
Click to expand...

Exactly! Why did she mentino lesbian when no one else did? Any you reviews on netflix are PUBLIC, anyone can read them. If you don't want people to read your reviews, don't post them :rolleyes:
 
:rolleyes:I like this from the artcle:

"The suit seeks more than $2,500 in damages for each of more than 2 million Netflix customers."

Does this mean they think theye is 20 million gay netflix users that need this precious 2500 dollars????
 
Azhar said:
Wait..

Two ladies were closet lesbian. Nexflix "robot" determines their sexual orientation from their browsing habit (which tells us they've been looking at too much lesbian porn obviously).

Nobody knows about their lifestyle - not even the people who work for Netflix. It's just a habit generated ad after all.

They file lawsuit and go public with their outrage at Netflix.

Now everybody knows they're lesbians.

Am I missing anything?
Click to expand...
:D:D

exactly.
 
Guys, try reading the freakin' article for once...

I don't necessarily agree with what she is doing, but I see her point. Netflix is releasing anonymous information to researchers with enough information for it to not be anonymous.

For example:
Netflix releases information that a man born on a certain date in a certain zipcode only watches certain movies. That there is enough to identify some people. And if those movies are all gay movies, or if he has revealed he is gay in one of the comments (which are truly anonymous for most people reading them because it doesn't give the above-mentioned info), then Netflix could out you to researcher Joe, who let's say is your boss.

Not saying the lawsuit is right, but it isn't total bullshit either. The chances of the above happening are incredibly freaking small, but it is technically possible.
 
PWMK2 said:
Guys, try reading the freakin' article for once...

I don't necessarily agree with what she is doing, but I see her point. Netflix is releasing anonymous information to researchers with enough information for it to not be anonymous.

For example:
Netflix releases information that a man born on a certain date in a certain zipcode only watches certain movies. That there is enough to identify some people. And if those movies are all gay movies, or if he has revealed he is gay in one of the comments (which are truly anonymous for most people reading them because it doesn't give the above-mentioned info), then Netflix could out you to researcher Joe, who let's say is your boss.

Not saying the lawsuit is right, but it isn't total bullshit either. The chances of the above happening are incredibly freaking small, but it is technically possible.
Click to expand...

Actually, from reading the article, I gathered that the first dataset, in and of itself was NOT personally identifiable. However, when combined with a dataset from a different source, then the data DID become personally identifiable. Think if it as a seven degrees of seperation thing. Now, the next set of data, for the second round of the contest may have enough information for it to be personally identifiable, which sounds like it DOES violate privacy laws.

Having said that: What people of all sexual orientations need to understand is that most people don't give two shits what you do with whoever you do it with behind closed doors. That's your business. So quit thrusting your sexual orientation in our faces, WE DON'T CARE. And those people that DO freak out about what others are doing behind closed doors? GROW UP, GET A LIFE! (of course it goes with out saying, that this whole converstation is about what happens between consenting adults)
 
Azhar said:
But it still doesn't make any sense. QUOTE]

Oh I agree with you 100% the article doesn't give enough information to tell us just how she figures she was fingered as a lesbian by all this. Also I do not see how she is targeting Netflix in this because as the article mentions they took the netflix data and reviews from IMDB to "guess" what they have. However in the messed up US Legal system I think she can win and that although she can it would be incorrect.
Click to expand...
 
Lebowski said:
OK, lesbian and no request for pics?
Click to expand...

Protip: Porn lesbians aren't real lesbians. Nearly every real life lesbian you will meet looks like a truck driver or a preteen version of harry potter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top