Dear Mr Hastings,

Congratulations on your decision to exclude gambling advertising from your platform, and to limit the marketing that children are exposed to. This is a commendable step and reflects the values that Netflix champions, particularly around judgment, integrity and inclusion.

We are writing to call on you to extend this exclusion to alcohol advertising.

Alcoholic products are addictive and cause significant harm. Globally, alcohol use is causally linked to over 200 disease and injury conditions¹ and 3 million lives are lost each year from alcohol use². Alcohol consumption during pregnancy also causes Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), a lifelong disability.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified reducing alcohol use as a global priority in preventing illness and death. To reduce the significant and far-reaching harm from alcohol use, the WHO recommend comprehensive restrictions or bans of alcohol advertising³.

When young people are exposed to alcohol marketing, they are more likely to start drinking alcohol at a younger age. They also go on to drink alcohol at risky levels later in life⁴. Exposure to alcohol marketing also cues alcohol cravings and is known to trigger a desire to drink among people with high-risk alcohol use and for people recovering from alcohol addiction⁵.

With strong evidence showing the link between alcohol advertising and alcohol use and, subsequently, harm, it is imperative that Netflix takes action to ensure that alcohol advertising isn’t a part of the platform.

Please build on the important step you have taken in regard to gambling advertisements by excluding alcohol from ad-supported Netflix subscriptions.

We thank you for considering this request and would welcome the opportunity to meet with you on this urgent request.

Yours sincerely,