Netflix saw a sharp rise in cancellations after co-founder Reed Hastings donated $7 million to Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign, a report claims.
Cancellations in the U.S. almost tripled following Hastings' donation to a super PAC supporting Harris' presidential run, according to Bloomberg and researcher Antenna.
Trump supporters called for conservatives to cancel Netflix after Hastings endorsed Harris on X and revealed the massive donation in July.
That month saw Netflix customers canceling at a rate not seen since February 2024, Bloomberg reported.
The outlet linked the cancellations to Netflix’s announcement of phasing out its lowest-cost plan.
"But the five-day period after Hastings’ endorsement was unusual, even for July," Bloomberg said, noting July 26 as the worst day for cancellations. Hastings' donation had been revealed just three days earlier.
Hastings, a longtime Democratic donor, also urged President Biden to step down after a poor debate performance.
"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, obtained by the New York Times.
Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin, have been major donors to Democratic causes, especially in California.
In 2021, Hastings donated $3 million to stop a recall effort against Gov. Gavin Newsom. His wife Quillin supported efforts to stop San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin from being recalled in 2022.
In 2018, Hastings gave $7 million to support a PAC backing Antonio Villaraigosa, one of Newsom’s primary opponents.
It’s unclear if the Harris endorsement impacted Netflix beyond the initial spike in cancellations. Their next financial report is due in October, Bloomberg said.