Why is Elon Musk telling people to cancel Netflix subscriptions?

Elon Musk, this time, is targeting Netflix over its programming and corporate diversity agenda.

Over the past week, Musk has repeatedly urged people to cancel their subscriptions to the streaming giant, amplifying outrage tied to comments made by Dead End: Paranormal Park creator Hamish Steele about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.

He has also criticised Netflix’s LGBTQ storylines and hiring policies.

Musk’s campaign Against Netflix

On Wednesday, Musk posted multiple messages on his platform X encouraging users to abandon Netflix. In one widely shared message, he wrote, “Cancel Netflix,” while in another he declared, “Cancel Netflix for the health of your kids.”

The statements were prompted by criticism of Steele, the British animation director behind Dead End: Paranormal Park, who has faced backlash over his online comments regarding Charlie Kirk, a conservative commentator shot dead last month.

Musk had initially amplified a post from another user who said they had cancelled their Netflix membership because the company “employed someone who celebrated the murder of Charlie Kirk and makes content that pushes pro-trans content on my kids.”

Musk responded, “Same.”

From there, he began resharing additional posts attacking Netflix’s corporate direction, programming choices, and diversity reports.

The Charlie Kirk connection

The row traces back to a post Steele allegedly made on Bluesky in response to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s tribute to Kirk following his killing.

According to screenshots circulated online, Steele wrote, “Why the f— are you even commenting on this, d—head…a random nazi gets shot and it’s a public statement.”

Many on the political right accused Steele of mocking Kirk’s death and celebrating violence, though Steele later rejected the characterisation, insisting his words had been taken out of context.

Charlie Kirk, founder of the conservative group Turning Point USA, was shot on September 10, 2025, during a public event.

His death shocked conservative circles and drew condolences from a range of public figures, including Musk and US President Donald Trump, both of whom attended his funeral.

Against this backdrop, Steele’s alleged remarks struck a nerve with Kirk’s supporters and amplified calls for Netflix boycotts.

Dead End: Paranormal Park in the spotlight

The controversy quickly expanded to focus on Steele’s former Netflix series, Dead End: Paranormal Park.

The show, which ran for two seasons between June and October 2022 before being cancelled in January 2023, centred on a group of employees at a haunted amusement park and featured ghosts, demons, and a talking pug.

It also drew attention for its inclusion of LGBTQ characters, including a transgender protagonist.

The series was praised in reviews for its representation, with Mashable noting that it “delivers meaningful LGBTQ representation.” Rotten Tomatoes gave the show a rare 100% rating, albeit based on a small pool of nine reviews.

When the series was cancelled, Steele wrote on social media that while it had always been the plan to provide closure for the characters, Netflix decided not to continue, “It was always the plan to give these characters the proper ending they deserve. But sadly, the powers that be don’t want any more.”

He nonetheless expressed gratitude to Netflix at the time, “I want to emphasise my gratitude to Netflix for commissioning the show and for giving us the freedom to tell this story.”

However, right-wing critics have since highlighted moments from the show as evidence of what they argue is inappropriate messaging for children.

One viral clip features Barney, the transgender main character, telling his friend Norma: “I’m trans, Norma. Being here, it’s like a whole new place. I can just be Barney, and I can choose if and when I tell people.”

He adds that he has “never been happier” and stresses the importance of living “without apology.”

Groups like Libs of TikTok circulated these scenes alongside excerpts from other Netflix programming, accusing the platform of smuggling in an agenda.

A clip from Cocomelon showing a young boy dancing in a tutu with his two fathers, and another from Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous where two female characters kiss, were presented as further examples of “LGBTQ propaganda.”

Musk reshared several of these posts, writing bluntly: “This is not ok.”

Steele responds to the accusations

Steele has defended himself amid the mounting criticism. On Bluesky, he described the campaign against him as “all lies and slander,” writing: “Netflix is NOT promoting [the show] at the moment!”

In another post, he acknowledged receiving a wave of hostile messages: “I have mostly been very ok today and found it all quite funny, while really appreciating everyone who has reached out, but the extremely nasty weird [homophobic] and antisemitic emails have started rolling in and it is getting a little scary so I apologise if I take longer to respond to stuff.”

Following claims that he celebrated Kirk’s death, Steele reiterated, “My Instagram comments are now flooded with replies saying I AM CHARLIE KIRK and that I celebrated his death (which I never did).”

Despite these denials, the association with his remarks continued to fuel anger, with Musk reposting criticisms and labelling Steele a “groomer.”

Diversity targets under fire from Musk

Musk’s criticism extended beyond Steele to Netflix’s corporate culture. He shared screenshots from the company’s diversity and inclusion report, which noted increases in the number of non-white directors and lead actors in its productions.

Critics framed these efforts as discriminatory, claiming they prioritised identity over merit.

One post he boosted stated: “Netflix appears to openly boast about discriminating against White people… Why doesn’t Netflix hire based on qualifications instead of skin colour??”

Musk’s blunt reply was: “Cancel Netflix.”

Netflix has long highlighted its commitment to representation, arguing that diversity on screen and behind the camera is critical to serving global audiences.

But for Musk and his supporters, these initiatives exemplify what they describe as a politically driven “woke agenda.”

Musk’s broader fight against “woke culture”

The billionaire’s campaign against Netflix reflects his broader fixation on what he calls the “woke mind virus.”

He has previously accused Wikipedia, the Anti-Defamation League, and schools of spreading progressive ideology, particularly around issues of gender identity.

He has argued that this agenda undermines family structures and corrodes social cohesion.

This ideological battle also connects to Musk’s personal life. His daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, came out as transgender in 2020 and legally changed her name in 2022, renouncing the Musk surname.

She has publicly criticised her father, at one point writing: “You are not a family man; you are a serial adulterer, who wouldn’t stop f—ing lying about your own children.”

Musk, in turn, has blamed her estrangement on the “woke” education system, which he claims pushed a “transgender agenda” onto her.

His opposition to progressive cultural trends also shapes his business ventures. When introducing Grok, an AI chatbot developed by his company xAI, Musk stressed that it would not adopt “woke bias,” positioning it as an alternative to ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.

Musk’s statements have coincided with a dip in Netflix stock, which fell 2.2 per cent to $1,173.12 by Wednesday afternoon.

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With inputs from agencies