Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) is one of the best streaming services for movies and tv shows along Hulu (NYSE: DIS) and Prime Video (NASDAQ: AMZN). As time goes on more streaming services have been established to compete in the competition like Disney+. Netflix and many other streaming services are used by audiences because there is a wide variety of titles to choose from. However, will audiences feel knowing that streaming services can be persuaded into taking down titles.
Netflix is a popular streaming service that is available to people around the world. However, it is because of this that cultures around the world react to the service differently. Netflix has received requests from international governments since 2015. Currently, Netflix has had to remove about 9 shows and movies from its platform. The most famous and one of the most recent incidents was the removal of an episode of the series, Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj. It was an episode that criticized Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the government's reaction to the high-profile death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The series first aired in 2018. The episode was removed in Saudi Arabia in 2019.
When asked about the decision to pull the episode, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings told reporters, "We're not in the truth to power business, we're in the entertainment business."
Hastings's comments were met with criticism by audiences. Netflix Content Chief Ted Sarandos tried to reduce the blow-back of Hasting's comment by clarifying and saying that, "I think all entertainment is truth to power, all creative expression is truth to power ... I think what he was getting at is we are not really in the breaking news business ... We are an entertainment company primarily."
Netflix says it removed several titles for different reasons. The streaming service listed nine takedowns it's received from 2015 to February 2020. The service claimed that they will list these takedowns annually starting in 2021. Currently, the titles that have been removed are: In 2015, The Bridge was due to a request from New Zealand. In 2017, Netflix removed Full Metal Jacket to comply with the Vietnam government. The streaming company complied with the German government to remove Night of the Living Dead in 2017. In 2018, Netflix removed Cooking on High, The Legend of 420, and Disjointed from the service in Singapore. As stated previously, Netflix complied with the Saudi Arabia to remove the episode "Saudi Arabia" from Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj in 2019. In 2019, Netflix complied with Singapore once again to remove The Last Temptation of Christ. Finally, the company removed The Last Hangover in Singapore as well in 2020.
As the streaming service continues to grow and expand, it seems as though clashes like these will become more likely overseas.