Parents across the UK have been left furious after a trailer for comedian Matt Rife's new Netflix special automatically played on the platform, revealing to children that Santa Claus is not real.
Autoplay Trailer Causes Immediate Outrage
The controversy erupted when Netflix users opened the app to find a preview for Matt Rife: Unwrapped – A Christmas Crowd Work Special starting automatically. This is a default setting on the streaming service. According to an outraged post on Reddit that quickly went viral, the preview featured Rife stating directly that "Santa is your parents" within the first few seconds.
The Reddit user branded both Netflix and the comedian as "scummy" for potentially ruining the magic of Christmas for young children. This sentiment was echoed widely on social media platform X, where a flood of angry posts from parents appeared. One user criticised Netflix for the choice of clip, noting that even on an adult profile, children could easily be in the room and overhear. Another recounted how their son walked in at the exact moment the trailer played, lamenting that it had "ruined his childhood."
Rife's Sarcastic Response and History of Controversy
When approached for comment by The Daily Mail, Netflix did not immediately respond. Matt Rife, however, appeared unbothered. He posted a sarcastic reply to coverage by TMZ, questioning the scale of the outrage by asking if "four people now counts as 'parents across the country?'"
This is not the first time the comedian has been at the centre of a backlash. In 2023, he faced serious criticism for a joke about domestic violence in his previous Netflix special. Instead of apologising, he directed offended viewers to a website selling helmets for people with disabilities. In August 2024, e.l.f. Cosmetics was forced to apologise after featuring Rife in an advert that seemed to mock the prior scandal.
Broader Backlash and Questions for Netflix
The incident has raised broader questions about Netflix's content promotion strategies, particularly around family-oriented holidays. Some social media commentators theorised that the autoplay preview was selected intentionally to generate buzz. Parents have pleaded with the platform to be more considerate with automatically playing content, especially in the lead-up to Christmas when children are more likely to be exposed.
The fallout highlights the delicate balance streaming giants must strike when promoting adult-oriented comedy on a platform used by entire households, and the potent mix of festive tradition and viral outrage in the digital age.
