Judge dismisses lawsuit against Netflix brought by parents of a teenager who died by suicide after watching '13 Reasons Why'

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against the streaming service by a father who said the show was to blame for his daughter's suicide.

John Herndon said in the suit that his daughter died as a result of the negligent acts and omissions of the company.
The lawsuit alleged that the creators of "13 Reasons Why" failed to adequately warn viewers about the content and that the company manipulated vulnerable children into watching it.

Herndon filed a class action suit, claiming that his daughter and others similarly situated to her were harmed. The show could cause or contribute to suicide or suicidal ideations, but children were not told about it.

The lawsuit was dismissed in a response filed in December. The streaming giant said in court that it would lead to self-censorship.

The judge said that the case was a tragic one. I don't think it will survive.
She said she based her ruling on free speech protections.

The teen drama centered on the suicide of teen Hannah Baker and the impact it has on her friends and family.

"13 Reasons Why" was criticized for glorifying suicide. The study found that teen suicides went up in the months after the show's release.
The show's first season ended with a three-minute scene depicting Hannah's suicide, which was later removed by the streaming service.
The scene in which Hannah takes her own life from the first season of '13 Reasons Why' will be edited after the advice of medical experts.
The company did not respond to the request for comment. The Hollywood Reporter asked it to comment.