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Can I show Netflix content in my classroom?

Can I show Netflix content in my classroom?

No, you cannot.

The Netflix Terms of Use agreement, which you agreed to when you created your account, reads: "The Netflix service and any content viewed through our service are for your personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household."

This is important because in general a license agreement overrides the copyright exemptions. 

Netflix Titles Available for Educational Screening

Educational Screenings of Documentaries

Below are instructions from the Netflix website on educational screenings: 

Some Netflix Original educational documentaries are available for one-time educational screenings.

To find out which titles are available for educational screenings, go to the "Only On Netflix" section of media.netflix.com. From here, navigate to "All Alphabetical".

Titles that are available for educational screening will display the following grant of permission on their details page:

Grant of Permission for Educational Screening

Netflix is proud to present original documentaries that speak to our users in a meaningful way. We know that many of you are as excited about these films as we are; and because of their informational aspects, you’d like to show them in an educational setting -- e.g., in the classroom, at the next meeting of your community group, with your book club, etc. Consequently, we will permit one-time educational screenings, "one-time screening" means that you can't hold screenings several times in one day or one week - but if, for example, you're an educator who wants to show the film once a semester over multiple semesters, that's okay.

Educational screenings are permitted for any of the documentaries noted with this information, on the following terms:

  • The documentary may only be accessed via the Netflix service, by a Netflix account holder. We don’t sell DVDs, nor can we provide other  ways   for you to exhibit the film.
  • The screening must be non-profit and non-commercial. That means you can’t charge admission, fundraise, solicit donations, or accept advertising or commercial sponsorships in connection with the screening.
  • The documentary shall not be screened at any political campaign events and/or electoral campaigning events.
  • Please don’t use Netflix’s logos in any promotion for the screening, or do anything else that indicates that the screening is “official” or endorsed by Netflix.

We trust our users to respect these guidelines, which are intended to help you share and discuss our documentary content in your community.

To the extent your institution requires you to demonstrate that you have a license for your screening, please show them this page.