Crunchyroll faces class action lawsuit over alleged disclosure of anime viewing data to third party

Crunchyroll is being sued for allegedly sharing anime viewing habits and personal data without consent

Crunchyroll, a leading anime streaming platform, has been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging violations of the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA).

Plaintiffs claim the platform disclosed personally identifiable information, including email addresses, device IDs, and anime titles streamed, to a third party without consumer consent.

The lawsuit highlights that Crunchyroll’s app uses a software development kit (SDK) from marketing company Braze, which enables in-app messages, notifications, and email campaigns.

According to the complaint, Crunchyroll has allegedly shared user data through this SDK since at least 2022.

Plaintiffs argue that Crunchyroll did not obtain informed written consent to disclose personal viewing information and that these disclosures were not part of the ordinary course of business, which the VPPA allows under certain exceptions.

The VPPA prohibits the disclosure of video rental or streaming records containing personally identifiable information except in cases such as consumer consent, court orders, or standard business practices.

This is not the first time Crunchyroll has faced scrutiny over VPPA compliance. The company previously settled a lawsuit in 2023 over similar alleged violations, which plaintiffs say makes the current conduct “particularly egregious.”

Crunchyroll has yet to respond to the lawsuit or provide a comment on the claims. Legal experts say class action suits over VPPA violations can result in both statutory damages and potential reputational consequences for streaming services if plaintiffs succeed in proving that disclosures occurred without consent.