Today the National Association of the Deaf, the nation's premier civil rights organization of deaf and hard of hearing individuals, filed a lawsuit against Netflix, charging that the entertainment company violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide closed captioning for most of its "Watch Instantly" movies and television shows that are streamed over the internet. An estimated 36 million Americans are deaf or hard of hearing and, as noted in a press release about the lawsuit, many had repeatedly appealed to Netflix via letters, petitions and social media tools.

We, the undersigned, request that Netflix provide closed captions on all of its "Instant Access" streaming content. Currently, Netflix is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide closed captioning for most of its "Watch Instantly" movies and television shows that are streamed over the internet. An estimated 36 million Americans are deaf or hard of hearing and many have repeatedly appealed to Netflix via letters, petitions and social media tools to provide closed captioning.

Netflix itself has acknowledged "there is no technological issue" in providing closed captioning which, for those who are deaf and hard of hearing, is analogous to "ramps for people who use wheelchairs." Under the ADA, all %u201Cplaces of entertainment%u201D must provide %u201Cfull and equal enjoyment%u201D for people with disabilities. Netflix is clearly in violation of Title III of the ADA by not providing closed captioning and other accommodations for the deaf and hard of hearing.

Netflix has over 60% of the streamed video services market share and therefore constitutes a major "place of entertainment," albeit one that currently is in violation of the civil rights of the deaf and hard of hearing. We ask that Netflix provide closed captions on all of its "Instant Access" streaming content and other accommodations necessary for the deaf and hard of hearing.