Your guide: Did Netflix Donate Money to Kamala Harris?
Did you hear about the âscandalâ? People on social said Netflix had given a whopping $7 million to Vice President Kamala Harrisâs team. Since these reports spread, people all over the country have been calling for a Netflix boycott. So, if youâve wondered, âDid Netflix Donate Money to Kamala Harris? â youâre in the right place. Today, weâll uncover this and more. Keep reading to find out more.
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Finding out more about the âviral claimâ
Social media started stirring the pot first. Some posts read âNetflix just gave $7 million to Kamalaâ. Plus, others rang âCancel your subscription today.â People quickly shared these claims on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram.
In addition, this is when Biden had dropped his re-election bid and backed Harris as the Democratic nominee.
Making sure the claims are true
To get to the heart of this dispute, news sites and groups that check facts did a lot of research. News stories that Netflix gave $7 million to Harrisâs campaign turned out to be false.
The US Federal Election Commission (FEC) said that FLIXPAC had not raised or spent any money on the election period.
The gift that Reed Hastings made as an individual
It turned out that Reed Hastings, who is the co-founder and executive chairman of Netflix, gave the money instead of the company itself. Hastings, who gave a lot to the Democratic Party, gave a big amount to a PAC that was supporting Harrisâs campaign for president. A spokesperson for Netflix confirmed this and said Hastings did not work for the company and made the gift on his own.
How to Spend Money on Campaigns?
According to the Federal Election Campaign Act, companies and labor groups are not allowed to give campaign funds straight from the money they make. Corporations like Netflix can create Political Action Committees (PACs) to assist individuals in contributing to political campaigns. Official FEC records show that FLIXPAC, the Netflix-linked political action committee, did not raise or spend any money during the 2023â24 election cycle.
What you can do to avoid the problems with campaign finance?
Anne Zald and other people who study how governments work mentioned that society did what it always does: get the facts wrong. The posts said things that werenât true. Netflix giving the $7 million directly to Harrisâs campaign, would have been fraudulent. Thatâs not what happened with Hastingsâ gift. It went to a super PAC, which can take any amount of money from anyone.
Eliminating the wrong information
AFP and other fact-checking organizations have shown that the claim that Netflix gave $7 million to Harrisâs campaign is not true. According to their declaration, Hastings gave the money directly, not through the business, and it was sent to a PAC instead of the candidateâs campaign.
Insights for Making Smart Choices
Getting fake information out about the 2024 election shows how important it is to read political news and promises with a critical eye and check the facts. People who want to vote need to be able to tell the difference between stories that arenât true and may be spread for other reasons. People can make better decisions and make politics work better if they stay informed and question where they get their news.
What We Figured Out and How to Proceed?
It is very risky for digital information to get around without being checked, as shown by the Netflix-Harris funding affair. This demonstrates how important it is to teach people the right way to utilize the media. You must initiate fact-checking initiatives, and strengthen rules to stop the spread of false information.
Individuals, the media, and politicians must work together going forward to promote honesty, accountability, and the spread of correct information so that voters are well-informed.
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Conclusion
Reports that Netflix gave $7 million to Kamala Harrisâs campaign for president turned out to be false in the end. Reed Hastings, who helped start the company and is now its executive chairman, gave the money to a PAC that supported the candidate instead of giving it directly to the campaign.
