LONDON - The Netflix drama "Adolescence", which has sparked widespread debate about the toxic and misogynistic influences young boys are exposed to online, will be shown in UK secondary schools, the prime minister's office and the streaming giant said Monday.
"We're incredibly proud of the impact the show has made, and are delighted to be able to offer it to all schools across the UK," said Anne Mensah, vice president of UK content at Netflix, adding that the four-part series had "helped articulate the pressures young people and parents face".
The announcement came as Prime Minister Keir Starmer met the creators of the show alongside charities and young people at his Downing Street office to discuss the issues raised in the series.
Starmer said that he had watched the drama in which a 13-year-old boy stabs a girl to death after being radicalised online with his own teenage children and that it had "hit home hard".
"It's an important initiative to encourage as many pupils as possible to watch the show," he said. Minors aged 11 to 18 will be able to see the series at their secondary schools.
"Openly talking about changes in how they communicate, the content they're seeing, and exploring the conversations they're having with their peers is vital if we are to properly support them in navigating contemporary challenges, and deal with malign influences," Starmer added.
"Adolescence", which was released on March 13, follows the aftermath of the schoolgirl's fatal stabbing, revealing the dangerous influences boys are subjected to online.
The series had 24.3 million views in its first four days, making it Netflix's top show for the week of March 10-16, according to the entertainment industry magazine Variety.
Maria Neophytou of the UK's children's charity NSPCC said the meeting had been a "critical milestone".
"The online world is being polluted by harmful and misogynistic content which is having a direct impact on the development of young people's thinking and behaviours. This cannot be allowed to continue," she said.