When Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos entered the Senate workplace constructing on Tuesday, he received thrown a curveball. What began as an ordinary antitrust listening to referring to the Warner Bros. merger shortly devolved right into a performative Republican attack concerning the unfold of “woke” ideology on the streaming service. On the similar time, arguably a way more influential platform was fully ignored: YouTube.
After grilling Sarandos about residual funds, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) launched into a totally totally different line of questioning: “Why is it that so much of Netflix content for children promotes a transgender ideology?” Hawley requested, making an unsubstantiated declare that “almost half” of the platform’s kids’s content material comprises so-called “transgender ideology.” The assertion harkened to a stress marketing campaign launched by Elon Musk months in the past through which he known as on X users to unsubscribe from Netflix for having a “transgender woke agenda,” citing its few exhibits with trans characters — exhibits that had been canceled years in the past.
“Our business intent is to entertain the world,” Sarandos replied. “It is not to have a political agenda.” Nonetheless, different Republican lawmakers, together with Sens. Ashley Moody (R-FL) and Eric Schmitt (R-MO), piled on, citing a put up Netflix made following the homicide of George Floyd, and the French movie Cuties, which sparked a right-wing firestorm years in the past. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) even requested Sarandos what he thought about Billie Eilish’s “no one is illegal on stolen land” remark on the Grammys. It appeared like they had been greedy at straws to help their narrative that Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. might in some way poison the nicely of content material for viewers.
“My concern is that you don’t share my values or those of many other American parents, and you want the United States government to allow you to become one of the largest — if not the largest — streaming monopolist in the world,” Hawley mentioned. “I think we ought to be concerned about what content you’re promoting.”
Whereas it’s true that Netflix will management a considerable portion of the streaming market when — and or if — it acquires Warner Bros. and its streaming service HBO Max, it’s laborious to criticize Netflix with out citing YouTube.
“YouTube is not just cat videos anymore. YouTube is TV.”
For years now, Netflix has been attempting to topple YouTube because the most-watched streaming service. Data from Nielsen says Netflix made up 9 % of complete TV and streaming viewing within the US in December 2025, whereas Warner Bros. Discovery’s providers made up 1.4 %. Combining the 2 doesn’t even stack as much as YouTube, which held a 12.7 % share of viewership throughout that point. “YouTube is not just cat videos anymore,” Sarandos informed the subcommittee. “YouTube is TV.”
Not like Netflix, YouTube is free and has an ever-growing library of user-created content material that doesn’t require it to spend billions of {dollars} in manufacturing prices and licensing charges. YouTube doesn’t have to fret about sustaining subscribers, as anybody with entry to an internet browser or cellphone can open up and watch YouTube. The setup brings YouTube a relentless stream of viewers that it might rope in with a slew of content material it might suggest to observe subsequent.
However not all creators on YouTube are striving for high quality. As my colleague Mia Sato wrote, YouTube is dwelling to creators who attempt to feed an algorithm that reinforces inflammatory content material and makes an attempt to hook viewers, along with an array of movies that could be less than ideal for teenagers.
Prefer it or not, YouTube is the dominant streamer, with an infinite provide of probably offensive agendas for nearly anybody. However for some purpose, it’s not the goal of this tradition conflict. If these lawmakers really cared about what their children are watching, possibly they’d begin trying extra carefully at how YouTube prioritizes content material. Or, in the event that they don’t just like the exhibits and films on Netflix, they might simply do what Sarandos recommended throughout the listening to: unsubscribe.
