Sinclair Broadcasting has been accused in a class action lawsuit of violating federal privacy laws. The lawsuit alleges that Sinclair allowed Google to access personal information about subscribers to some of its online streaming channels via a tracking pixel. This alleged breach of privacy law is said to have occurred without the informed, written consent of the subscribers, which is required by law.
The plaintiff in the case, Tracy Hyman, accuses Sinclair of unlawfully disclosing customers' personally identifiable information (PII) and seeks redress for all those who have been allegedly similarly harmed.
The suit was filed against Sinclair for violations of the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), which prohibits the disclosure of consumers’ video viewing history without their informed, written consent.
The complaint further states that Sinclair operates Tennischannel.com, a popular sports streaming service. It allegedly uses sophisticated tracking technology that collects its subscribers' PII and knowingly discloses this information to third-party analytic and advertising providers so they can target specific users with tailored advertisements based on their viewing history.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages allowed under the VPPA, plus attorney fees.
The lawsuit was filed March 18 in Los Angeles federal court.
Plaintiffs are represented by attorney Eugene Y. Turin, of McGuire Law P.C., of Chicago.