Popular streaming service Netflix is becoming less popular after one of its founders decided to publicly choose a side in the upcoming presidential election.

According to reports, Netflix experienced a significant backlash after co-founder Reed Hastings publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential race.

On July 22, Hastings tweeted, “Congrats to Kamala Harris — now it is time to win.” The endorsement comes amid Hastings’ increasing engagement in Democratic politics, including his call for Biden to step aside as the leading candidate.

Following Hastings’ tweet of support for the VP, the streaming giant has seen a surge of cancellations from subscribers.

Netflix subscription cancellations nearly tripled, according to data from Bloomberg. Calls for a boycott of Netflix gained traction among prominent Trump supporters on social media, who urged their followers to “cancel Netflix” in response to Hastings’ political stance.

The founder’s comments have placed the streaming service at the center of an ideological divide that seems to be widening in the U.S., as consumers respond to political endorsements and activism by voting with their wallets.

Bloomberg News added:

Netflix suffered a surge in cancellations in the days after its co-founder and chairman, Reed Hastings, endorsed Kamala Harris for president and donated millions to her campaign… The rate of cancellations – churn in industry parlance – nearly tripled in the US after his endorsement, according to the researcher Antenna. The streaming giant has the lowest churn in the industry.

Customers in the US canceled Netflix at a higher rate in July — 2.8% — than any month since February. That is largely due to the company’s decision to phase out its basic tier. Basic was the cheapest advertising-free version of Netflix. But the five-day period after Hastings’ endorsement was unusual, even for July.

Hastings, a longtime Democratic donor, endorsed Harris in a post on the social media platform X on July 22. A day later, Hastings told The Information that he donated $7 million to a pro-Harris super PAC. Shortly after Hastings’ endorsement, fans of Donald Trump began urging people to drop the service. Some posted photos showing they had closed their accounts alongside the hashtag #CancelNetflix. Three days later after the donation became public, July 26, was the single worst day for Netflix cancellations this year.

During the Trump administration, Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin, emerged as significant benefactors for the Democratic Party.

In recent years, they have donated over $20 million to support the party’s initiatives, according to The Times. This substantial amount includes up to $1.5 million for Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign and $100,000 last summer to support Biden’s 2024 election efforts.

The majority of their contributions have been directed toward super PACs that assist Democratic candidates in the House and Senate, Bloomberg noted further.