Quick Hit: 

Netflix experienced a significant surge in cancellations after co-founder Reed Hastings endorsed Kamala Harris for president, donating millions to her campaign. Conservative backlash, amplified by Trump supporters, contributed to the spike in account closures.

Key Details:

• Netflix's cancellation rate nearly tripled after Hastings’ endorsement of Harris.
• July 26 marked the single worst day for Netflix cancellations in 2024.
• The backlash mirrors previous conservative-led boycotts, including against Bud Light and Disney.

Diving Deeper:

Netflix witnessed a sharp increase in cancellations following co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings' public endorsement of Kamala Harris for president and a subsequent $7 million donation to a pro-Harris super PAC. According to data from the research firm Antenna, the platform's churn rate in the U.S. spiked nearly threefold shortly after the announcement.

Hastings, a well-known Democratic donor, endorsed Harris in a July 22 post on the social media platform X, formally known as Twitter. The following day, he confirmed his donation in an interview with The Information, leading to immediate calls for a boycott from Donald Trump supporters. Photos of account cancellations, tagged with #CancelNetflix, quickly spread across social media. Three days after the donation became public, July 26 marked Netflix’s worst cancellation day of the year.

The spike in cancellations comes as Netflix, like other entertainment giants, attempts to navigate a politically charged environment. Historically, the company has distanced itself from political controversy to maintain its broad customer base. However, Hastings' involvement in the 2024 election has reignited criticism, particularly from conservative viewers. 

This backlash echoes past incidents, including the 2020 uproar over the French film "Cuties", which sparked a similar conservative boycott. In recent years, companies that have engaged in social or political issues—such as Bud Light and Disney—have faced significant consumer pushback, often from conservative groups opposing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Netflix, which prides itself on being apolitical, finds itself at the center of another ideological battle as conservatives ramp up their criticism.

"Reed Hastings" by Republica, licensed by CC BY-SA 2.0.