- Netflix has had its share of controversies and scandals since its rise in popularity.
- Many viewers called for a boycott of original series"13 Reasons Why," claiming that it could trigger at-risk individuals and promote unhealthy behavior.
- When news broke that Claire Foy was paid less than her co-star Matt Smith in "The Crown," fans were furious.
Netflix is the go-to way to watch television and movies. It has taken over the pop-culture world.
Between their original series and original movies, anyone who doesn’t have a subscription is missing out on a lot of content and is most likely confused by a conversation or two throughout the week. It’s important to be in the loop when your coworker is talking about the newest season of "Stranger Things."
While there are certainly other platforms, like Hulu and Amazon, Netflix seems to be the most popular choice.
The streaming service shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, although it’s definitely hit a few bumps along the way.
Every big company has its secrets and scandals, and Netflix is no different. Whether the original content stirred up controversy or the company found itself in some legal trouble, there are some issues that have made things a bit more complicated for the massive global provider.
Since its launch in 1998, Netflix has seen its fair share of issues. A lot of Netflix users aren’t aware of these past problems because they’re far too busy streaming the latest season of "Jessica Jones." But at one point or another, these scandals have affected the service.
People boycotted original series "13 Reasons Why."
One of the most controversial shows in the past few years is Netflix’s "13 Reasons Why." The series received mixed reviews and was slammed for romanticizing mental illness and the taking of one’s life.
Based on the book by Jay Asher, "13 Reasons Why" is about a teenage girl who ends her own life, but leaves behind cassette tapes that tell thirteen reasons why she did it. The show includes flashbacks to when Hannah was still alive.
While the show attempted to raise awareness of mental health and death, a lot of people believe that the show glamorized it and glossed over issues like depression and post-traumatic stress.
The graphic manner in which they showed her taking her own life also triggered at-risk viewers and reinforced unhealthy ideas. Despite all of this controversy, though, the show was renewed for a second season.
Allegations came out against Kevin Spacey.
There have been a lot of assault scandals in the past year, but Kevin Spacey is one of the most shocking and memorable ones. The actor was involved with a few Netflix originals at the time.
"House of Cards" was one of the service’s most successful dramas. When the news surrounding Spacey broke, fans were left wondering what Netflix would do with the show.
People were calling for Netflix to end their relationship with the actor. Netflix agreed, so the next season will be the show’s last. Although the final season was already shot, they rewrote and reshot it so that Spacey was included as little as possible.
They also had planned to release a movie, "Gore," which starred Spacey, up until the allegations came out. They decided not to move forward with the movie.
Fox slammed Netflix with a lawsuit.
In 2016, 20th Century Fox sued Netflix for supposedly poaching their employees. Netflix defended themselves, saying that they fight for the right to hire great employees no matter where they work.
According to Fox, Netflix illegally hired two of its executives who were still under contact. They claimed that Netflix was warned that they were illegally tampering with their employees and were asked to stop.
The two industry leaders went to court over the dispute, as Fox claimed they suffered “irreparable harm.”
Fox isn’t the only company that Netflix has recruited employees from, however. They’ve hired multiple executives from a lot of major studios.
Netflix’s continued rise within the entertainment industry has certainly caused some tension among studios and networks. They have quickly become a major competitor in Hollywood.
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