Netflix Faces Criticism Over Ethics of New Stanford Prison Experiment Reality Series
Netflix has sparked an online debate after reports that the streamer has commissioned a reality series based on the notorious Stanford Prison Experiment.
The New Stanford Prison Experiment
Titled The New Stanford Prison Experiment, the series will reportedly premiere on October 21 with six 45-minute episodes.
“Thirty willing participants enter a real prison and are randomly assigned as guards or prisoners.” — Official Synopsis
“Thrust into a system of power, hierarchy, and control, they’ll discover whether ordinary people inevitably conform to the roles they’re given — or whether empathy, morality, and individuality can withstand the forces pushing them in the opposite direction. As the pressure builds and the balance of power begins to shift, the central question feels more urgent than ever: Does power corrupt?”
The Independent has contacted Netflix for comment.
Historical Context
A 2016 movie charted how Philip Zimbardo’s famous 1971 project at Stanford University in California had a devastating effect on those involved, with students playing guards becoming psychologically abusive and those playing prisoners becoming anxious, emotionally depressed, and enraged.
On X, people have reacted in disbelief to the news, with one person noting: “I’m sorry but WHAT.”