Did Netflix donate $7 million to Kamala Harris’s campaign?

As of August 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign has indeed raised over $480 million, solidifying her status as the likely Democratic presidential nominee. Despite this substantial fundraising achievement, a significant controversy has emerged from misinformation circulating online. However, Fact Crescendo have confirmed that this claim and the poster are misleading 

This is about our investigation of this claim.

Social Media Claim

A Facebook user recently shared a claim in a group page saying, “Netflix just donated 7 million to Kamala😡 Bye bye Netflix! They need to feel these people! Cancel today!”. This claim has been widely circulated and has generated a variety of reactions from users.

The following image, captured from the Facebook user’s post, has attracted significant attention from other users.

Facebook Post | Archived Link

The above claim has also been seen and published by other TikTok users, which has led many other users to question whether this news is real.

TikTok Link | Archived Link

Similarly, the above claim was also found and posted on X recently, with multiple reactions and shares by the users. The user claimed “Netflix lost 6M subscribers in just the first few hours after the announcement of them donating millions to the Harris campaign”.

X Link | Archived Link

Given the claim’s extensive dissemination and the considerable attention it has received from the internet community, we believed it was necessary to perform a fact-check on the above subject.

Fact Check

Fact Crescendo has started debunking the above claim and verifying the above claim through reliable sources especially with the recent and latest data on US Federal Election Commission.

As of August, 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris received over $480 million in donations, according to US Federal Election Commission (FEC) data. However, these funds did not come from Netflix or its political action committee (PAC).

The FEC states: “Campaigns are prohibited from accepting contributions from corporations”. While corporations can establish PACs, as Netflix did in 2012, the FEC data shows that Netflix’s PAC has neither raised nor spent any money in the 2023-24 election cycle.

Federal Election Commission Link | Archived Link

“This is a personal donation from Reed and has no connection to Netflix,” a Netflix spokesperson told AFP on August 1, 2024. The spokesperson emphasized that Netflix did not donate to Harris’s campaign. Instead, Hastings’ contribution was directed to a super PAC associated with Harris, not directly to her campaign.

AFP News Report | Archived Link

False claims on social media can spread quickly and have significant repercussions. In this case, the call for a boycott of Netflix based on misinformation about a $7 million donation to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign reflects how rapidly incorrect information can affect public perception and company reputation.

Here’s a summary of the situation: 

• False Claim: Social media posts falsely alleged that Netflix donated $7 million to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.
• Reality: Netflix, as a corporation, cannot directly donate to federal campaigns. Individual contributions from Reed Hastings, Netflix’s co-founder, to Harris’s campaign do not involve the company itself.
• Response: Netflix has clarified that it did not make any such donation, emphasizing that any contributions from Hastings were personal and not representative of the company’s actions.
• Impact: The spread of misinformation led to a public backlash, including calls for a boycott of Netflix, which underscores the power of social media to influence consumer behavior based on false or misleading information.

It’s crucial to verify claims with reliable sources before reacting or sharing information, especially when it involves significant financial or political matters.

Netflix, as a corporation, could not donate directly to Kamala Harris’s campaign due to FEC regulations prohibiting corporate contributions to federal campaigns. Instead, any significant financial support that appears to be associated with a company like Netflix would typically come from individual employees, a PAC related to the company (such as FLIXPAC), or Super PACs, which can support candidates independently but are not allowed to coordinate directly with the campaign.

Federal Election Commission Link | Archived Link

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Conclusion

Fact Crescendo found that the above claim posted on social media is misleading. Netflix, as a corporation, cannot legally make direct contributions to federal campaigns. Any personal contributions from individuals associated with Netflix, such as Reed Hastings, are separate from the company’s activities.