Washington, United States—From Google to Netflix, prominent US companies are battling internet boycott calls over their perceived political leanings in a polarizing election season that has exposed them to what researchers call “brand disinformation.”
Reed Hastings, the service’s co-founder and executive chairman, made a contribution to Vice President Harris’s campaign but the company said it was a “personal donation” and had “no connection to Netflix.” “The Netflix case demonstrates how rapidly these campaigns spread, potentially reaching hundreds of millions” and shows how “disinformation can manipulate public opinion and consumer behavior,” he said.As the hotly contested election nears, Brahmy cautioned, “brands must be vigilant.”
In one evidence-free tweet in late July, Musk wrote: “Wow, Google has a search ban on President Donald Trump! Election interference?”