“Netflix may not be the best place for you” if employees find the content harmful, says the streaming giant.
Netflix updated its company culture policy recently and among the document, in its Artistic Expression section, was a less than subtle hint that employees should leave the company if they find the content offensive or going against their personal values. “Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful” the memo states.
The memo comes after the streamer aired Dave Chappelle’s controversial comedy special, The Closer, last October which prompted several employee walkouts after Chappelle’s provocative jokes were deemed trans- and homophobic. Chappelle branded himself a TERF, a transgender-exclusionary radical feminist, while voicing his support for J.K. Rowling in the special.
The special immediately drew controversy and many questioned Netflix’s decision to air the special, but Netflix is now making its stance clear.
Dave Chappelle
“While every title is different, we approach them based on the same set of principles: we support the artistic expression of the creators we choose to work with; we program for a diversity of audiences and tastes; and we let viewers decide what’s appropriate for them, versus having Netflix censor specific artists or voices,” Netflix clarifies.
“If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you” says the update policy. The memo had last been updated in 2017 and also includes sections such as Ethical Expectations and Representation Matters. You can read the full memo here.
