Netflix is facing a major backlash following co-founder Reed Hastings’ public endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential race. A wave of cancellations has hit the streaming giant after Hastings tweeted his support for Harris.
On July 22, Hastings wrote, “Congrats to Kamala Harris — now it is time to win.” The public endorsement followed Hastings’ growing involvement in Democratic politics, including his call for Biden to relinquish his spot at the top of the ticket. “Biden needs to step aside to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous,” Hastings wrote in an email to The New York Times on July 3. Hastings has also emerged as one of the Democratic Party’s biggest financial backers, raising eyebrows among some.
While Hastings’ tweet garnered over 1.2 million views, it seemed to have sparked widespread discontent among streaming users. Following the endorsement, cancellations of Netflix subscriptions nearly tripled according to data from Bloomberg. Calls for a boycott of Netflix were amplified by prominent Trump supporters on social media, who encouraged followers to “cancel Netflix” in response to Hastings’ political stance. Hastings’ comments have put Netflix at the center of an ideological divide that seems to be growing larger in the U.S., as consumers vote with their wallets in response to political endorsements and activism.
Netflix suffered a surge in cancellations in the days after its co-founder and chairman, Reed Hastings, endorsed Kamala Harris for president and donated millions to her campaign… The rate of cancellations – churn in industry parlance – nearly tripled in the US after his endorsement, according to the researcher Antenna. The streaming giant has the lowest churn in the industry.
Customers in the US canceled Netflix at a higher rate in July — 2.8% — than any month since February. That is largely due to the company’s decision to phase out its basic tier. Basic was the cheapest advertising-free version of Netflix. But the five-day period after Hastings’ endorsement was unusual, even for July.
Hastings, a longtime Democratic donor, endorsed Harris in a post on the social media platform X on July 22. A day later, Hastings told The Information that he donated $7 million to a pro-Harris super PAC. Shortly after Hastings’ endorsement, fans of Donald Trump began urging people to drop the service. Some posted photos showing they had closed their accounts alongside the hashtag #CancelNetflix. Three days later after the donation became public, July 26, was the single worst day for Netflix cancellations this year.
Netflix, like others in the entertainment industry, has faced challenges balancing social activism with business interests. During the Trump administration, Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin, emerged as top benefactors for the Democratic Party. Over recent years, they’ve contributed over $20 million to bolster the party’s efforts according to The Times. The generous sum includes up to $1.5 million to support Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign and $100,000 last summer aimed at backing Biden for the 2024 election. The majority of their contributions have been directed toward super PACs that assist Democratic candidates in the House and Senate.
