I’ve put together borderline streaming platforms that aren’t as clear cut as the good options I shared in this post. I view this list as a bit of a choose your own adventure – based on what is most important to you, some of these may be complete no-gos and some may seem fine.
I’m not asking you to cancel your streaming subscriptions immediately if a service you like is questionable or on the do not recommend list. If you want to, go ahead! But the most important part of boycotts/reduced spending is making it sustainable – not shopping on Amazon for one day isn’t as impactful as cutting your overall shopping with them by 80%.
Sometimes, that requires time to set up and test alternatives and figure out what works for you among good options. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t enjoy your favorite show, which right now is sometimes the only comfort we have. Boycotting in the entertainment space can feel very hard because it’s dominated by a lot of bad companies, so I would encourage you to make choices based on what’s most important to you and what your needs/media interests are. My goal is to provide the information so you can make an informed choice, regardless of what that choice is. And even if you just cancel your Disney+ subscription, that’s a huge win!
Starz: Was owned by Lionsgate but now Starz is an independent, publicly traded company with MHR Fund Management LLC/Private Equity as the largest shareholder at 17%. Starz spent $130K on lobbying in the last two years. Starz has a cool diversity in content program called #TakeTheLead which focuses on amplifying stories from women and other underrepresented audiences. Starz also supports diversity, equity and inclusion amongst its employees through employee resource groups.
What they have: Original TV shows and movies, tons of popular movies. They also have a decent K-drama selection.
Top Shows: Outlander, Power, Party Down, more suggestions from Reddit
How to stream: Web, iOS, Android; streaming devices Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, LG, Vizio, Sony & Samsung Smart TVs, Chromecast, XBOX. More info here.
Cost: $10.99/mo or $69.99/yr, though they are running a special right now for $23.99 for the entire year.
Available in: US-only
My thoughts: I don’t love that Starz spent money on lobbying and their largest shareholder is a private equity firm, but I do like that they support DEI and have a content diversity program. In this crazy media streaming landscape, I feel like Starz is one of the less bad ones.
MUBI: Curated international cinema collection by film lovers with classics and new releases.
The Details: Privately held and venture capital-backed. Sequoia Capital invested $100 million in Mubi in May 2025, but Mubi has since faced backlash due to Sequoia Capital’s investment in Kela, a defense startup founded by four Israeli intelligence veterans in response to the terror attacks of Oct. 7th. Efe Cakarel, Mubi’s founder and CEO, has pushed back saying the money they generate does not go to Sequoia Capital’s other businesses like Kela, but Sequoia’s investors like universities, foundations, and pension funds. Cakarel has also taken steps to address the criticisms, creating an Ethical Funding and Investment Policy, an Artists Advisory Council, and an Artists at Risk fund in which Mubi will fund commissions, residences, and restoration projects from “filmmakers working under conflict, displacement or censorship, including Palestinian filmmakers.”
What they have: Highly regarded films including classics like The Godfather and Paris is Burning, and newer releases like The Substance.
How to stream: Web, iOS, Android; streaming devices Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, LG, Sony & Samsung Smart TVs, Chromecast, more info here
Cost: Mubi is $14.99/mo or $119.88/yr, they also offer Mubi GO which offers a movie theater ticket for a hand-picked film each week in select cities. More details here.
Available in: Almost every country worldwide
My thoughts: My read of the situation is that Efe Cakarel and the leadership team were looking for investors, didn’t realize Sequoia Capital’s ties to Israel, and now are in a sh*tty position. They likely can’t give back the investment because it’s high ($100M) but also don’t want anything to do with this company’s ties to Israel and are trying to address it through various efforts. It’s on them that they didn’t do the research, but this feels more like a borderline case than a direct investment by them into Israeli companies or tech. Update 9/29/25: Paul Biggar, the founder of Tech for Palestine, wrote a great breakdown of Cakarel’s statement and the misrepresentations and falsehoods in what he said. As I mentioned in my original thoughts, Mubi won’t be able to give back the $100M funding money, but per Paul Biggar’s article the best way to get Mubi free of them is to boycott and force Sequoia to retract their investment. This is one I would now consider “do not recommend.”
Criterion Channel: High-quality, well-regarded and hand-chosen films from America and around the world.
The Details: Owned by Steven Rales since 2024. Steven Rales has a net worth of $11 billion and has historically backed and financed Wes Anderson films. Rales made his money as a corporate raider in the 80’s with his brother, acquiring companies and then aggressively cost-cutting to increase profitability. His stepdaughter, Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, is married to RFK Jr’s son Bobby Kennedy III and managed RFK Jr’s presidential bid. However, according to the Hollywood Reporter article Rales primarily donates to Democrats. I checked on OpenSecrets and that seems to be the case. Criterion Channel does not have a public diversity policy, and has faced criticisms in the past for its absolute lack of African-American directors.
What they have: Over 1,650 films, you can browse here.
Top Movies: There are a lot, but some highlights include Uncut Gems, Grey Gardens, All The President’s Men.
How to stream: Web, iOS, Android; streaming devices Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, Samsung Smart TVs, Chromecast, XBOX, more info here
Cost: $10.99/mo or $99.99/yr
Available in: US, Canada
My thoughts: Although owner Steven Rales has ties to RFK Jr, it doesn’t seem that he was actually involved with him or the campaign. I don’t love that Rales made his money as a corporate raider and he’s a billionaire, on top of Criterion’s lack of diversity though they have taken some steps to address since being called out in 2020. I’d recommend Kanopy as they have similar collections and its free, but Kanopy has its own issues. So, if you’re interested in this type of content, go with whatever one works and feels good to you.
BritBox: Streaming platform of the BBC available outside of the UK, with one of the largest collections of British television with classic series, dramas, comedies, mysteries, documentaries, and more.
The Details: Owned by the BBC, which is a UK government entity/service kind of similar to PBS in the US. The BBC has faced accusations of bias in their coverage of Gaza, have been called out for this bias by over 100 staffers and faced calls by over 400 talent and media figures to remove their board member Robbie Gibb for ties to Israeli in July 2025.
Top shows: Sherlock, Downtown Abbey, The Fall, IT Crowd, Killing Eve, the British Office, more ideas on what to watch here and here. Unfortunately, newer seasons of Doctor Who are only available on Disney+ in the US.
How to stream: Web, iOS, Android; streaming devices Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, LG, Hisense, Vizio, & Samsung Smart TVs, Chromecast, more info here
Cost: $10.99/mo, normally $109.99/yr but they’re running an offer right now for $89.99/yr
Available in: US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden
My thoughts: I do not want to give money to the BBC when they aren’t covering Gaza in an appropriate way and are a leading news source in the UK. Might just have to get my British TV fix from PBS.
Crunchyroll: Anime-centered streaming platform with one of the largest collections of anime content. Owned by Sony since 2021.
The bad: Crunchyroll was caught using ChatGPT to translate anime into local languages in July 2025, with a blatant German subtitle translation of “Chat GPT said: Wenn ich…”. Crunchyroll then tried to blame the problem on a subcontractor, but at the end of the day, if you’re paying for a service you’d expect to be able to actually understand and enjoy the content. I do not recommend them for this reason.
I’ll be covering the big players (Paramount+, Peacock, Netflix, etc.) next week, and for the good options check out my post.
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