Disney+ & Hulu
Flagged · AvoidThe world's largest entertainment conglomerate, owning Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, ABC, and ESPN, and one of the most aggressive corporate lobbiers for copyright extension, repeatedly keeping its oldest characters out of the public domain.
Last updated August 18, 2026
Reasons to avoid
Issues span:AntitrustPrivacyLaborEnvironment
- Disney agreed to pay $50 million to settle a federal antitrust lawsuit alleging it used its control of ESPN to force YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream into bundling agreements that drove up streaming prices industry-wide. A federal court granted preliminary approval of the settlement in March 2026, covering an estimated 17 million subscribers dating back to 2019.
- California's Attorney General fined Disney $2.75 million in February 2026, the largest CCPA penalty in state history, after finding its streaming platforms let consumers submit opt-out requests that appeared to work but never actually stopped the sale or sharing of their data. Investigators found gaps across Disney's opt-out toggle, web form, and browser-based privacy signals that left customer data flowing to third-party ad-tech companies.
- Disney agreed to pay a $10 million civil penalty in December 2025 to resolve FTC allegations that it violated child privacy law by mislabeling children's YouTube videos as "not made for kids." The mislabeling let Disney and its ad partners collect data on and target advertising toward children under 13 without parental consent.
- Disney paid $233 million to settle a class action lawsuit covering more than 51,000 Disneyland workers who alleged the company denied them a legally required living wage under Anaheim's Measure L since 2019. The settlement was approved by a California judge in September 2025 and described as the largest class action wage theft case in California history.
- Disney Cruise Line ships are among the largest sources of air and water pollution in the cruise industry, burning heavy fuel oil that emits sulfur dioxide and particulate matter at levels far above land-based transportation. The company has set sustainability targets for its fleet that environmental monitors say remain far from being met.
- Disney's own Pixar employees wrote a letter in 2022 alleging that corporate executives had cut 'nearly every moment of overtly gay affection' from Pixar films regardless of protest from creative teams. Disney simultaneously censors LGBTQIA+ content for markets in China and the Middle East while marketing Pride products in other regions.
Ethical alternatives
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Borrow DVDs, Blu-rays, and access free streaming services like Hoopla and Kanopy.
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Visit →Common Questions
- Is Disney+ & Hulu ethical?
- Disney paid $233 million in 2025 to settle a class action on behalf of more than 51,000 Disneyland workers for denying them a legally required living wage, described as the largest class action wage theft case in California history. Disney also cuts LGBTQIA+ content from Pixar films for certain markets while marketing Pride merchandise in others.
- Why are people boycotting Disney+ & Hulu?
- The most common reasons are the $233 million wage theft settlement with Disneyland workers and Disney's pattern of censoring LGBTQIA+ content in films despite public inclusion messaging. Disney Cruise Line ships are also among the largest sources of air and water pollution in the cruise industry.
- What are the best ethical alternatives to Disney+ & Hulu?
- Kanopy offers free film and documentary streaming through your library card with no ads. The Criterion Channel and Mubi curate independent and international films at low monthly costs. Your public library lets you borrow DVDs and access free streaming through Hoopla as well.