Netflix breaks silence on huge data breach after leaks of Heartstopper, Arcane & more

Netflix has finally responded to its biggest data breach in recent years after popular shows like Heartstopper, Arcane, and more were leaked online.

The leak started on August 6, 2024, as episodes from multiple upcoming anime were released on TikTok and X. Among those were Dandadan, Ranma ½, Terminator Zero, Re:Zero, and Mononoke the Movie. All of these anime were scheduled for later this year.

While that seemed like it for the time being, more leaked shows soon appeared on the internet. Two days after the mass breach, the first five episodes of Arcane Season 2 were leaked, followed by Heartstopper Season 3.

Three days into this mess, Netflix has now responded to the leaks. On August 8, the company’s spokesperson told The Wrap: “One of our post-production partners has been compromised and footage from several of our titles has unfortunately leaked online. Our team is aggressively taking action to have it taken down.”

Netflix

So far, the leaked episodes are still circulating on social media. While a lot of netizens are against these premature releases, this breach has undoubtedly caused a huge blow to Netflix. With so many spoilers out on the internet, many of the users are now asking for early official releases of the leaked shows.

Anime shows, in particular, have taken a huge hit. Dandadan, Re: Zero, and Terminator Zero are among the most highly anticipated anime releases of this year, and having so many episodes leaked has been detrimental to them. One of Dandadan’s animators also recently spoke out about the situation.

What’s more, this is not the first time popular shows were leaked this year. Just a week earlier, HBO faced a huge data breach of its own when the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale was leaked online. While the matter has been resolved since then, it’s pointed out the glaring hole in data security.

Now that Netflix has started to take action against the breach, the leaks are expected to stop soon. However, whether such incidents will stop here is yet to be seen.

For more, check out the new TV shows streaming this month and find out more about the Heartstopper cast. And if you’re an anime fan, give our guide to best anime shows on Netflix a go.