Meta Denies Claims That Netflix Accessed Users’ Private Facebook Messages
Recent rumors suggest that Meta (formerly known as Facebook) granted Netflix access to users’ private messages. These accusations gained traction when Elon Musk, owner of Twitter, shared multiple tweets discussing the issue.
Meta refutes these allegations, stating that Netflix never received access to personal messages. Instead, they emphasize that the partnership enabled users to communicate with friends about Netflix content within the platform itself.
+ According to Meta Communications Director, Andy Stone, “Meta didn’t share people’s private messages with Netflix.” He added that this type of collaboration is standard across the industry.
+ Previously, in 2018, The New York Times claimed that Netflix and Spotify could view users’ private messages based on leaked documents. At the time, Meta dismissed these assertions through a blog post explaining that both platforms had access to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
These APIs facilitated communication regarding Spotify tracks and Netflix shows, all within each company’s application.
To accomplish this, the companies needed “write access” to create messages, “read access” to display incoming messages, and “delete access,” which removed messages from both applications upon deletion from either one.
Despite these capabilities, Meta reiterated that neither Netflix nor Spotify accessed private conversations without consent.
Although Meta maintains that Netflix couldn’t spy on private messages, it should be noted that the streaming giant enjoyed unique levels of access compared to others. Additionally, the social media giant’s close relationship with Netflix included regular updates on user recommendations and click activity. As for the future, maintaining Netflix’s advertising revenue necessitates continued cooperation between the two entities.
