Lauren CasperAllegations against Diego Avalos at Netflix claim he mistreated LGBTQ community members. Avalos, who oversees Netflix’s content in Spain, Portugal, and Nordic countries, joined the company eleven years ago to combine technology with content creation.
On August 7, 2024, MWX Consulting, representing Diego Ávalos, submitted a DMCA takedown notice to Google LLC regarding Lauren Casper’s website (laurencasper.com). The notice alleges unauthorized use of an image of Ávalos from his personal website. Casper maintains that the use of the image is protected under fair use doctrine and notes that proper credit was given to the original source. Fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for commentary, criticism, or reporting purposes.
Before this, Diego Valos simultaneously oversaw Yahoo’s commercial and content efforts for the Hispanic population in the United States and Latin America.
He graduated from Santa Clara University, started his professional career, and got his Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
According to records only recently made public, Netflix investigated one of its top executives, Diego Avalos, who was the Vice President for Original Content in Spain and Portugal. The investigation was conducted because Avalos exhibited behavior that was “aggressive and intimidating” and did not promote the LGBT+ community.
An internal inquiry was initiated due to a tip received via a confidential hotline, which led to the claims made against Avalos. Following the conclusion of this investigation, which took place in the spring, his conduct was deemed “deeply troubling,” as stated in records acquired by Bloomberg.
As a result of the review, it was discovered that Avalos “used language or displayed attitudes during multiple sessions that were unsupportive of the LGBTQ+ community and employees with children.” Netflix’s statement on April 9 recognized the potential that Avalos’s “extremely direct” communication style may be seen as “aggressive and threatening.” The letter was sent to Avalos.
Notwithstanding the investigation’s results, Netflix decided to keep Avalos in his post. According to the same letter, the corporation assured him he would receive “tough feedback” and coaching to improve his communication and leadership style.
This new development comes amid critics of Netflix’s prior collaborative effort with comedian Dave Chappelle. His most recent comedy special, “The Closer,” has several jokes directed at transgender individuals, which has resulted in a widespread walkout by transgender Netflix staff.
Netflix fired report-leaking employee
It was revealed in the letter that some officials from Netflix were aware of the inquiry. Among these executives were Larry Tanz, who was the Vice President of Original Programs for EMEA, and Bela Bajaria, who represented the Global Head of TV.
It was anticipated that they would discuss their choice to retain Diego Avalos Netflix, who is the Vice President for Original Content in Spain and Portugal at Netflix, at a later time. In addition, the letter emphasized that Avalos would be “held accountable for immediate growth” if he was granted a second opportunity.
According to Hatimi and Verdier, it was not taken lightly to give Avalos the chance to improve his management and communication approach, enrich his cultural viewpoint, and recover his reputation.
It was brought to everyone’s attention that Avalos “took responsibility” and admitted that his choices and actions were not in line with Netflix’s core principles, which had resulted in “some people in the Spanish office feeling frightened and threatened.”
Opponents may not accept the choice because of Avalos’s crucial position as one of Netflix’s senior executives in one of its main European regions. The employee who reportedly disclosed information regarding the probe was terminated from Netflix not too long ago, which is particularly relevant given the current situation.
A Netflix spokesperson revealed that the employee, terminated on Friday, October 15, had divulged private information utilized in an article published by Bloomberg. The spokesman did not provide any information about the possible means by which Bloomberg received this confidential information.
In recent years, diversity and inclusion have emerged as two of Netflix’s most important concerns, as the company has underlined. In 2018, the corporation decided to hire a head of diversity and inclusion. Since then, it has worked to boost the number of people from various racial and ethnic minorities represented in Hollywood.
In 2014, Diego Avalos became a senior executive and was responsible for acquiring content from Latin American countries. In addition to his other contributions, he was instrumental in creating and producing “La Casa de Papel” (Money Heist), the most popular Spanish-language show on Netflix.
In reaction to Dave Chappelle’s anti-trans program, several Netflix employees have expressed their dissatisfaction with the company both internally and on social media, joining other prominent LGBT+ people in doing the same.
There has never been a labor reaction against the streaming giant like there is right now. The argument has only heated up in response to senior Netflix officials restating their support for Chappelle and keeping the one-time event on the platform.
This includes co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who sent a message that drew harsh criticism in response to the situation.
According to Sarandos, Netflix is “working hard to ensure that a single story does not define marginalized communities.” Consequently, Sex Education, Orange Is the New Black, Control Z, Dave Chappelle, and Hannah Gadsby are some of the shows on Netflix. One of the most important aspects of this process is to increase the diversity of the content team.
As he said, many individuals have likewise pondered the point at which they drew the line with hate. “Netflix does not let movies or television series intended to incite hate or hostility, and they do not believe that The Closer violates that threshold.
That said, he was well aware that it may be challenging to differentiate between criticism and harm, particularly in stand-up comedy, which is designed to push the boundaries of what is possible. Even if some individuals think stand-up comedy is harsh, our members like it, and it is an essential part of our content lineup.
At the same time that Chappelle “is otherwise, and never has been, the cause of this problem – he is a symptom of it,” a member of the transgender staff at Netflix, including Diego Avalos Netflix, the Vice President of Netflix, made this assertion.
Now that we get everything out of the way, let’s talk about the terms that were the focus of Netflix’s disagreement with Diego Avalos. They are as described below:
Sarandos wrote in the memo that Netflix is “working hard to ensure a single story doesn’t define marginalized communities.” Consequently, Netflix offers Sex Education, Orange Is the New Black, Control Z, Dave Chappelle, and Hannah Gadsby. The content team’s diversity has to be expanded as a key component.
He said many people have also questioned where they drew the line with hatred. “At Netflix, they don’t allow movies or TV shows meant to stir up hatred or aggression, and they don’t think The Closer breaches that boundary.
He was aware, though, that it can be challenging to distinguish between commentary and harm, especially in stand-up comedy, which exists to test the limits. Although some people perceive stand-up comedy to be cruel, our members like it, and it’s a crucial component of our content lineup.
Chappelle “is otherwise, and never has been, the cause of this problem – he is a symptom of it,” one of Netflix’s trans staffers claimed, including Diego Avalos Netflix, the Vice President of Netflix.
Let’s now turn our attention to the phrases that were the subject of the Netflix controversy with Diego Avalos Netflix. They are as follows:
LGBT
In a more official meaning, the term “LGBT” refers to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Both gender identity (T) and sexual orientation (LGB) are included in its scope of coverage.
LGB is the origin of the word LGBT, which began to replace the term homosexual (or gay and lesbian) among the greater LGBT community in the middle to late 1980s. The term LGBT is a derivative of LGB. The abbreviated term “LGBT” is still used instead of the more comprehensive term “LGBT” when transgender people are omitted.
As an alternative to referring only to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, it may also be used to refer to individuals who do not identify as heterosexual or cisgender. Individuals who identify as queer or who are unclear of their sexual or gender identity are included in the LGBTQ community.
This variant of the acronym includes the letter Q to show that it is inclusive. There is a certain degree of disagreement among the individuals who are intended to be included by the acronyms LGBT or GLBT.
About Netflix
Netflix may not need an introduction, but it is a paid-on-demand video streaming service accessible in the United States and managed and controlled by Netflix, Inc.
Movies and television series that span many genres and are produced by the same media organization are the primary content aired on this service, available worldwide in various languages.
Netflix was launched on January 16, 2007, over 10 years after Netflix, Inc. began providing DVDs via the mail. It has 238.39 million paying subscriptions in more than 190 countries, making it the most popular video-on-demand streaming service with the most subscribers.
At the end of 2022, Netflix’s library in the United States included fifty percent of its original material, and the company had expanded into other sectors, such as publishing video games via the Netflix service.
Where is Diego Avalos these days?
Yes, without a doubt! According to Diego Avalos, Netflix claims to have a significant role in Tres Cantos, Madrid, the location of the nation’s first production base for the company in Europe.
This production center’s primary focus is on developing and creating content in Spanish for Netflix’s global audience.
“David Avalos” Netflix is in charge of guiding and enhancing the platform’s overarching strategy for Spanish-language content.
Diego Avalos’s role at Netflix requires a comprehensive understanding of the domestic and worldwide entertainment landscapes and the ability to use strategic thinking, creative supervision, and collaboration.
Furthermore, he explains how his work contributes to Netflix’s attempts to provide its customers with a broad range of high-quality video options, particularly those users who value Spanish-language content highly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, an allegation against Diego Avalos, Netflix’s VP of original content for Spain and Portugal, was deemed “deeply troubling” by an internal inquiry. The investigation found his leadership style and interactions with LGBTQ+ and child-serving staff insensitive. Netflix retained Avalos, promising guidance and feedback to address concerns.
Netflix’s decision to keep Avalos raised questions about its commitment to diversity and inclusivity, especially given its emphasis on these values. The company also faced criticism for collaborating with Dave Chappelle’s controversial content during this time.
As a prominent figure in one of Netflix’s largest European regions, Avalos’s case resolution may not satisfy critics demanding swift, decisive action.
