Technology
Netflix is testing ads and people are freaking out
Say it ain’t so.
The company that almost single-handedly introduced us to binging video has apparently gone decidedly old-school with the latest innovation being tested on its platform. That’s right, Netflix is running commercials.
So reports Cord Cutter News, which notes that the streaming giant is showing some subscribers ads for other video content between shows.
We reached out to Netflix in an attempt to determine just how many users are affected and other details about this brazen attempt to mess with our streaming bliss, but received no response as of press time. However, the company did confirm the news in a statement provided to Cord Cutter News.
“[We] are testing whether surfacing recommendations between episodes helps members discover stories they will enjoy faster,” read the statement in part. “It is important to note that a member is able to skip a video preview at anytime if they are not interested.”
Basically, Netflix is telling us all to chill out. Its subscribers apparently missed the memo.
Netflix is doing some things that are pissing me off lately:
1) playing ads for shows I’m not interested in during the 15 second countdown between Office episodes
2) trying to push whatever “Insatiable” is on me— snack haver (@snackhaver) August 16, 2018
netflix has started putting ads for its shitty standup specials in between episodes of frasier. and probably other shows but ive got frasier on and it feels particularly offensive. keep frasier pure
— libby watson (@libbycwatson) August 17, 2018
Hey @netflix, @Netflixhelps, what is with these ads for originals popping up after an episode that I have to manually skip? This, on top of the preview videos if you dare stop on a title are making for a less than ideal viewing experience.
— Mitch Randall (@blahsi) August 17, 2018
I hope it’s not true that @netflix is introducing ads into its programming. I literally pay money to Netflix so that I don’t have to see ads. I’d rather stop watching Netflix than have them run ads. Swear to god the first one I see I’m cancelling.
— InformationAnemone (@Info_Anemone) August 17, 2018
Thankfully, at present this appears to be only a limited test. Should the company decide to roll it out to all its roughly 130 million subscribers, however, there are going to be a lot of angry people begrudgingly dragging themselves off couches to reach for that “skip” button on their laptops.
The horror.
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