Netflix experienced a dramatic spike in cancellations after its co-founder, Reed Hastings, publicly revealed a $7 million donation to support Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign. According to a Bloomberg report, the streaming platform saw a nearly threefold increase in cancellations in the United States following Hastings’ endorsement of Harris and his large donation to a super PAC backing her presidential bid.
In July, Hastings took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce his endorsement of Harris, which led to a wave of backlash, particularly from conservative supporters of former President Donald Trump. They quickly called on their followers to cancel their Netflix subscriptions in response to Hastings’ endorsement and donation.
That month, Netflix saw its highest cancellation rates since February 2024, according to Bloomberg. While the company had already announced plans to phase out its lowest-cost option, which contributed to the rise in cancellations, the fallout from Hastings’ endorsement made the situation particularly notable. “But the five-day period after Hastings’ endorsement was unusual, even for July,” Bloomberg stated. The report highlighted that July 26 marked Netflix’s single worst day for cancellations in 2024, with news of Hastings’ hefty donation surfacing just three days earlier.
Hastings, a longtime Democratic donor, has not shied away from making his political opinions known. In an email obtained by The New York Times, Hastings had called for President Joe Biden to step aside after a poor debate performance, writing, “Biden needs to step aside to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous.”
Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin, are well-known figures in the Democratic fundraising circuit, particularly in California. In 2021, Hastings donated $3 million to help stop the recall effort against Governor Gavin Newsom. Quillin, in 2022, contributed to a left-wing group working to prevent the recall of San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
Although the spike in cancellations following Hastings’ Harris endorsement made headlines, it remains unclear if the backlash will have a long-term impact on Netflix’s subscriber base. The company is expected to release its next financial report in October, which may shed more light on the situation.
As Hastings continues to be a prominent political figure, his public endorsements and donations are likely to remain closely watched by both supporters and critics.