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Petition to have Afflicted removed from Netflix

AlwaysTired

Senior Member
Messages
174
https://www.change.org/p/netflix-remove-afflicted-from-netflix/w?source_location=psf_petitions

Has nearly 2000 signatures after just 2 days. For those who haven't seen the docu-series, it's incredibly exploitative of people with invisible chronic illnesses, including me/CFS, Lyme, and MCS. Heavily edited and skewed to portray the patients chronicled as having psychosomatic illnessnes. I've seen at least some of those in the film say they were lied to about the nature of the series (and agreed to participate based on assurances of it being factual and scientific). The patients had no say in the final product, which they are outraged by because of how it ultimately dismisses and exploits them and their suffering.
 
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lafarfelue

Senior Member
Messages
433
Location
Australia
I'm glad people are taking action, but I'm not holding my breath that they'll remove it. There was a huge uproar about both 13 Reasons and Insatiable in how those approach/show (mainly) mental health, disordered eating and body dysmorphia etc, but those haven't been removed. (13 Reasons went on to a second season.)

A lot of people will need to sign the petition. Everyone, please share this with friends and any extended networks you have.
 
Messages
92
Location
Australia
I watched the whole series and it is so skewed towards everything being "all in the mind".

I have signed the petition, however I think because it is a Netflix film we would need a lot more names on the petition for them to do anything about it.

Sign sign sign
 

AlwaysTired

Senior Member
Messages
174
Up to 3,000 signatures now. That's in 3 days. Executive producer of film made his twitter acct private, and took down the FB page he created to promote film, because of so much backlash he was getting from chronically ill people . That's before petition.

So we are having an impact already...
 

jesse's mom

Senior Member
Messages
6,795
Location
Alabama USA
I watched it as well. I was uncomfortable even watching the Promo.
The people were portrayed like nut cases, there was a lack of compassion, I was so upset!
Where do I sign!
 
Messages
92
Location
Australia
5,000 signatures

The people who were in "Afflicted" have written this after seeing what the producers had done,

"The most serious and central flaw of Afflicted is the way it frames our conditions — which impact millions of people around the world — as psychosomatic or psychiatric disorders."

We cannot sit back and allow this ‘documentary’ to continue to portray our suffering as being all in our heads.

Please sign and ask those that care about you to sign also.

Sign sign sign
 

jesse's mom

Senior Member
Messages
6,795
Location
Alabama USA
I have even had fall out because of this DAMN fiasco of a series!
My mother is back to her "tough love" tactics.

Please help get the word out that there is a petition. Can we come up with some ideas to bring light to how damaging this is to so many people.. Human beings that are suffering.
 
Messages
92
Location
Australia
Another quote from one of the participants of the ‘documentary’.

"Afflicted constructs a deceitful narrative that systematically ignores scientific evidence, takes statements out of context, manipulates timelines, omits important facts, and gives voice to non-specialists talking outside of their fields — all to sow doubt in the audience’s minds as to the legitimacy and reality of these very real and dangerous diseases."

Please sign the petition

https://www.change.org/p/netflix-remove-afflicted-from-netflix/w?source_location=psf_petitions

Sign sign sign
 
Messages
92
Location
Australia
6,000 signatures

Another quote from one of the participants of the "documentary"...

"Bekah and I were totally devastated; we felt betrayed and defeated, misled, lied to, manipulated, and completely misrepresented. The editing was straight-up unethical and damaging, not to mention exhibiting downright ignorance of the illnesses."

Please sign
 

Judee

Psalm 46:1-3
Messages
4,461
Location
Great Lakes
I signed the petition but think it would also be helpful to cancel your Netflix subscription if you have one, letting them know why you are cancelling.

I don't have an account with them but I did receive an email the other day asking me to sign up again. I had a text chat with their customer service and politely told the agent that I won't come back ever if they are going to show programs like that that make fun of people when they are at their lowest point in life.
 
Messages
41
Frankly, I think the way these patients were exploited and abused for "Afflicted" is nothing short of criminal. They are victims of fraud, at the very least. I think they should at least get together and pursue defamation and libel suits, and sue for damages done during the filming as well. Surely this would be an easy case for a good law firm! TONS of video evidence and witnesses. (I hope someone has copies of the outtakes & edits. Or have it subpoenaed, before it it gets destroyed.)

And our respective patient communities could come together for a class action suit, though I'm not sure how even a great lawyer would prove damages to the invisible illness community in this case (I challenge you to prove me wrong all you lawyers out there! Please!)