Netflix has argued that it took care to obscure real-life identities Baby reindeer characters after the series’ extraordinary success sparked an Internet guessing game.
In some of Netflix’s first comments on the viral circus surrounding it Baby reindeerPolicy chief Benjamin King said at a hearing in the British Parliament that the streamer was satisfied with the standards of care on the show.
King told lawmakers that Netflix and producer Clerkenwell Films “took all reasonable precautions to conceal the real identities of the individuals involved in this story.”
John Nicolson, a Scottish National Party MP who sits on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, pointed out that this had not stopped the character of Martha being identified online.
Baby reindeer has been billed as a “true story” and delivers a shockingly raw account of comedian Richard Gadd’s experience with a suspected stalker.
Gadd plays the main character, Donny, while Jessica Gunning plays Martha, named as Fiona Harvey, a Scottish lawyer upset by her treatment.
The series has also led to others being falsely accused. Sean Foley, an Olivier Award winner, informed police after he was mistakenly identified as Darrien, who was portrayed as sexually assaulting Donny.
King said Netflix must find a balance between protecting identities and preserving the “truth and authenticity” of Gadd’s seven-part series.
“We didn’t want to anonymize this or generalize it to the point where it was no longer his story because that would undermine the intent behind the show,” the senior public policy director said.
King added: “Ultimately, it’s obviously very difficult to control what viewers do, especially in a world where everything is amplified by social media.
“Personally, I wouldn’t be comfortable in a world where we decide it’s better to silence Richard and not let him tell the story.”
Nicolson asked in an interview with Piers Morgan on Thursday whether Netflix had supported Harvey, who planned to “set the record straight.”
King responded: “I cannot go into detail about what happened surrounding the creation of the show because it would not be appropriate for me to comment. I don’t want to add fuel to some of the theories circulating on the internet.”
Gadd and Gunning called Baby reindeer Fans urged fans not to get involved in the guessing game. The latter said the speculation was “pretty sad” and “not the point of the show at all.”
In further testimony to the parliamentary committee, King said Netflix had worked closely with the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a charity supporting stalking victims. He said the series raised awareness about male victims.
Baby reindeer The series debuted on Netflix without much fanfare, but has exploded on the streamer, racking up nearly 54 million views since its debut on April 11. It was Netflix’s top English-language series for three weeks in a row.