Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. is drawing attention to how privacy practices could influence the assessment of consumer privacy risks in the merger. The deal, currently under review by the Department of Justice, would boost Netflix’s collection of user data including search history, viewing activity, and location by tens of millions of more viewers.
McCarter & English partner and co-leader of its Cybersecurity & Data Privacy group Erin Prest spoke with Bloomberg Law about the proposed merger and said that regulators need to pay attention to what customers originally consented to when they shared their data and if the acquiring company will use the data with the same protections.