Watchdog alleges Netflix coordinated with FBI to promote left-wing narratives
A new report alleges that the streaming giant Netflix has worked closely with federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies in ways that amount to government-assisted propaganda.
The report released Tuesday by the Oversight Project, a government watchdog group, contends that the FBI, the CIA, and the Defense Department (now the War Department) exercised influence over film and television productions—particularly those distributed by Netflix.
“Based on all publicly available evidence and analysis, Netflix appears to have an outsized role in socially engineering millions of Americans into a predisposition to accept preferred left-wing ideological dogma,” the Oversight Project report states.
“Netflix did so with the help of the federal government, especially the FBI, and intelligence community. In fact, the FBI plays an outsized active role in content moderation for projects it is involved in.”
The report frames modern entertainment as similar to Cold War-era propaganda programs. The difference, according to the report, is that current propaganda aims to advance a domestic left-leaning political agenda.
“The intended purpose is no longer to combat a foreign enemy or communist ideology,” the report contends. “To the contrary, the purpose is social engineering to advance extremist ideology and the preferred narratives of the FBI and intelligence community.”
The watchdog group says documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show “concrete evidence of the FBI’s systematic involvement in entertainment production, including Netflix content.” It adds, “These documents reveal formalized, contractual arrangements granting FBI editorial control.”
“Far-left ideologues and partisans are on the cusp of expanding and cementing control of the biggest political messaging tool in history: Fedflix,” Oversight Project President Mike Howell told The Daily Signal. “More Americans should know the consequences of this, which is why we are excited to release this report.”
Both the FBI and Netflix acknowledged email inquiries from The Daily Signal to comment on the story, but neither immediately replied for comment.
The report compares what is currently happening to a domestic version of Operation Mockingbird, a covert CIA effort to influence domestic media. The Church Committee, a Senate select committee that investigated covert federal actions, exposed aspects of that program in the 1970s.
The Oversight Project argues that the underlying infrastructure of the operation never disappeared.
“Congress never fully exposed Operation Mockingbird in its entirety,” the report says. “The infrastructure and relationships between the government and the entertainment industry that were established during this era never truly disappeared. Instead, analysis of all available evidence indicates they evolved to operate out of the public’s view and adapted to new media landscapes like we see today.”
The report also notes, “Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard publicly confirmed in July 2025 that Operation Mockingbird-type activities never ended.”
The Oversight Project report focuses heavily on the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs, particularly a unit known as the “Long Form Team,” which it describes as the bureau’s “propaganda office.”
“Within the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs, the Long Form Team reviews scripts, suggesting and even requiring changes at times, and maintains ongoing relationships with writers, producers, studios and streaming platforms,” the report says.
The report asserts that the FBI “maintains ongoing relationships with Netflix and other studios and production houses,” and “uses American taxpayer dollars to fund their programs.”
In some cases, the report says, the FBI required advanced approval of interview clips and script elements. One agreement for an “Untitled 9/11 Project” airing on Netflix required FBI approval of certain aspects of the production, according to the report.
Beyond government collaboration, the report argues that Netflix’s content library reflects a bias against President Donald Trump, and a “left-wing ideological orientation,” based on an artificial intelligence-powered survey of Netflix’s catalogue.
“While not comprehensive, the survey results make clear that the volume of content favoring left-wing and progressive trends dominates content that is conservative or critical of progressive trends,” the report says. “Content that discusses Trump-era politics skews 11:1 against President Trump.”
Listing personnel, the report described co-CEO Ted Sarandos and co-founder Reed Hastings as each being a “major Democratic donor.” Also, President Barack Obama’s former national security adviser, Susan Rice, is on the Netflix board.
As remedies, the Oversight Project calls for congressional investigations, new legislation restricting government-media collaboration, and an antitrust review of Netflix. It also urges lawmakers to defund public affairs offices at federal agencies that work with Hollywood.
“Formally end funding for Office of Public Affairs coordination with Hollywood at FBI, CIA, and DOD,” the report recommends.
“Government is unaccountable when it has the ability to stream propaganda at the public on whose legitimacy representative government is based,” the report says. “When government and media merge to shape narratives, manipulate public opinion, and engineer social change, the foundations of free society crumble.”
[Editor’s note: This story originally was published by The Daily Signal.]