Netflix CEO rejects GOP claim that nearly half of children’s content pushes trans ideology
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos said it was misinformation that nearly half of the children’s platform’s content promotes transgenderism, after being pressed on the issue during a Senate hearing Tuesday by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).
During a tense Senate hearing Tuesday on Netflix’s proposed deal with Warner Bros. Entertainment, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., pressed the CEO of the streaming platform with the latest statistics from a controversial women’s policy organization that argues that almost half of Netflix’s content for children “promotes transgender ideas.”
Hawley shared her own experiences as a parent of young children, revealing that she doesn’t let them “watch anything” on Netflix without first watching it because she “has no confidence in what’s on there.” [Netflix’s] platform,” the GOP member told Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.
But Sarandos responded to Halwey’s claim, saying the data point that “about half” of Netflix’s children’s shows promote violence was “wrong.”
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“Senator, Netflix does not have a political agenda of any kind,” Sarados told the GOP senator on Tuesday.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos testifies to US Senators on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2025. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“Well, why are your children’s programs filled with this sex-filled, highly controversial – highly controversial – program? I don’t understand. It seems strange to me,” Hawley replied before Srandos could finish.
“With respect, sir, it’s because it’s not accurate. We have millions of hours of children’s programming. I -,” the Netflix CEO said before the GOP senator cut him off again.
“You don’t have trans – you don’t include trans characters, story lines, trans themes? It’s not in your show?” Hawley shot back.
“I think we have a lot of stories and shows that meet a variety of people’s interests,” Sarandos explained.
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But Hawley went on to write that nearly half of Netflix’s children’s content promotes transgender ideology, statistics first shared by the conservative feminist public policy group Concerned Women for America (CWA).
The CWA released a report in December, saying it found that 41% of G-rated series on Netflix and 41% of TV-Y7 rated shows on Netflix contained content that could be interpreted as pro-LGBTQ+.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos was spotted shaking hands with Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., at a hearing Tuesday on Capitol Hill during the broadcast platform’s attempt to buy Warner Bros. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Defending Hawley’s allegations, Sarandos highlighted that the platform has “state-of-the-art tools” for parents to control their children’s video streaming options. He added that the people at Netflix are also parents, and share “the same concerns about parenting” that Hawley has.
The study released by the CWA on Netflix’s pro-trans content came a few days after Netflix announced an agreement to acquire the film and television studios of Warner Bros., as well as HBO and HBO Max, which will make the streaming platform one of the most prominent in the world.
President Donald Trump has raised antitrust concerns about Netflix’s proposed takeover of Warner Bros. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters/Reuters)
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While the deal has been announced, it still has to be formally reviewed. Other companies have also submitted rival offers aimed at undermining Netflix’s ambitions.
“You want the United States government to allow you to be one of the greatest — if not the greatest — leaders in the world,” Hawley pointed out to Sarandos during Tuesday’s hearing. “I think we should be concerned about what content is encouraging.”
