Elon Musk Joins Netflix Boycott as Mass Cancellations Grow — Here's the Kids' Show and Comments That Sparked Outrage

In a move that has sparked a fresh wave of online backlash against the streaming giant, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has confirmed he cancelled his Netflix subscription.

The billionaire's decision, announced via his X account on Tuesday, stems from fury over a children's animated series accused of promoting transgender ideology and inflammatory social media remarks from its creator about the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

When former US Department of Energy scientist Matt Van Swol posted: 'Just cancelled my Netflix subscription. If you employ someone who celebrated the murder of Charlie Kirk and makes content that pushes pro-trans content on my kids... you will NEVER get a dime of my money,' Musk replied with a single word: 'Same'. His post went viral, racking up more than 13.5 million views, 186,000 likes, and nearly 10,000 comments within 24 hours.

The Show at the Centre of the Storm

The controversy reignited after clips resurfaced from Dead End: Paranormal Park, a 2022 Netflix series created by London-based director Hamish Steele.

Marketed at audiences as young as seven, the animated show follows Barney, a transgender teen, and Norma, an autistic Pakistani-American girl, navigating supernatural adventures in a haunted theme park.

Conservatives, including Musk, accused the series of 'pushing transgenderism on kids' and blurring the line between inclusivity and indoctrination. While praised in some quarters for representation, critics say it is inappropriate for young audiences.

Steele, who uses he/they pronouns, has since made their accounts private amid the uproar. But the bigger flashpoint came from Steele's now-deleted Bluesky post referring to Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder shot dead during a Utah Valley University event on September 10, as a 'Nazi' while mocking his assassination. The remarks drew outrage from conservatives and prompted Musk to label Steele 'a groomer' in a scathing reply.

Musk's Culture War With Netflix

Musk has long positioned himself against what he calls the 'woke mind virus'. He previously mocked Netflix for political donations and what he described in 2024 as 'anti-White propaganda'.

His latest boycott is also deeply personal: Musk has spoken publicly about his estranged daughter Vivian, who transitioned in 2022, citing her rejection of him as a reason for his stance on gender ideology.

Netflix, which ended Dead End after two seasons, has not commented on Musk's cancellation or Steele's remarks. A spokesperson previously defended its commitment to 'diverse voices' in storytelling, pointing to collaborations with groups like GLAAD during production.

Wider Fallout and Online Reaction

The fallout has echoed earlier controversies around Netflix, most notably the global backlash to 2020's Cuties, which critics accused of sexualising young girls. This week, hashtags such as #CancelNetflix and #BoycottNetflix trended across X, with users including prominent conservative commentators urging mass cancellations.

Some supporters of Musk hailed his move as a symbolic stand against what they view as ideological overreach in children's entertainment. 'Elon just hit unsubscribe on wokeness,' one user posted. Others dismissed it as performative outrage unlikely to dent the platform's finances.

With Netflix's UK subscriber base hovering at around 15 million and its global audience far larger, Musk's personal boycott may be financially negligible. But with over 200 million followers on X, his influence ensures the debate about trust, values, and what children should watch will continue to play out in the cultural mainstream.