“Cancel Netflix”: Musk escalates fight over streaming content

Tesla and SpaceX chief Elon Musk has launched a social media campaign urging his 227 million followers to cancel Netflix subscriptions, reviving debate over the streaming giant’s programming choices.

The push began when Musk reposted a clip from the 2022 animated show Dead End: Paranormal Park, which included a transgender character, calling it “not ok” and labeling Netflix as pushing “woke propaganda.”

Although Paranormal Park was canceled in 2023 and is not actively promoted, Musk has repeated the call to cancel at least two dozen times in the past three days. He has also cited Netflix’s diversity initiatives and employee political donations as further reasons for protest.

The move comes as Musk continues to position himself as a self-described “free speech absolutist,” using his platform X to amplify conservative critiques of major media and entertainment companies.

Netflix has not issued a public response. Past controversies, including backlash over its film Cuties in 2020 and comedian Dave Chappelle’s 2021 stand-up special, sparked brief waves of cancellations but did not significantly affect its subscriber base.