Netflix succeeds in getting ‘Cuties’ child-porn lawsuit put on hold until June

Streaming company Netflix has successfully fended off—albeit temporarily—a Texas effort to bring child pornography charges against the company over its distribution of a controversial film some critics have derided as a form of child pornography.

The company in the summer of 2020 released the film “Cuties,” a French drama that features 11-year-old girls competing in a highly sexualized dance competition. Netflix received sharp criticism for its promotion of the film, including the content of the film itself as well as its marketing, which featured a highly sexualized poster of the young girls. 

In Texas, Tyler County District Attorney Lucas Babin has brought child pornography charges against the streaming giant over the film. Netflix has asked the federal government to throw out Babin’s lawsuit, claiming their promotion of the film is protected under the First Amendment. 

This week, meanwhile, both Babin and Netflix agreed to put the suit on hold until June of this year. 

Babin’s lawsuit argues that Netflix promoted lewd material of a young child and that the film has “no serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.”