WASHINGTON, D.C.- A fresh wave of anger is striking Netflix, the streaming giant. A group of its users, mostly from the pro-Trump “MAGA” base, is pushing for a lot of people to cancel their memberships. The movement, which is gathering support on social media site X (previously Twitter), seems to be based on two main problems.
The first thing that made people angry was that Reed Hastings, the co-founder and former CEO of Netflix, gave $2 million to help California Governor Gavin Newsom in his redistricting efforts. Many conservatives attack Newsom and his political ideas since he is a well-known Democratic politician. Hastings’s financial backing has been seen as a blatant endorsement of a political agenda that many of these users don’t agree with.
The second reason, which seems to be quite important even if it hasn’t been proven, is a false rumor that Netflix has made a $13 million contract with comedian Stephen Colbert. No formal confirmation of such an agreement has been made, and some publications say that the rumor is not true. But the claim has been extensively spread and utilized to get people to get together. Colbert has often criticized Donald Trump, and the former president has labelled him a “total loser” in public. Colbert’s past has made him a target for Trump fans, and the false rumor about a Netflix agreement has given them another cause to be angry.
A lot of individuals have been angry on social media and have told others to cancel their Netflix subscriptions. One person said in a post, “Time to cancel Netflix,” after reading about the boycott over Hastings’s donation. Another person asked, “Netflix signs a $13 million deal with Stephen Colbert, and Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix, gives $2 million to Gavin Newsom’s efforts to redistrict.” Is Netflix the same as Cracker Barrel?—referring to a prior conservative boycott that caused the popular restaurant company to change its emblem.
People have also said things like, “Netflix is doing everything it can to make me cancel…” and “We’re sick of the woke bullsh*t.” The user, who blamed both the gift and the claimed Colbert deal, said, “You didn’t learn the first time.” We’re telling people about it. “STOP NETFLIX.” Another person invited others to join in by saying, “Let it go, people.” If you’re like me, you won’t miss Netflix at all if you cancel your subscription. “Let’s tell these woke idiots something.
The online backlash against Netflix is a clear illustration of how political donations and unconfirmed information can swiftly lead to a concerted boycott from a vocal group of people, which might hurt a company’s reputation and business.