Hold the Binge-Watch Fest — Netflix May Be Doing Away With Their Commercial-Free Service
Jan. 14 2019, Updated 3:26 p.m. ET
Your worst nightmare may be coming true. Netflix has allegedly started showing commercials during users' binge-watching sessions. Yes, that means minute-long ads could potentially interrupt you when you stay up all night watching reruns of The Office.
According to Cord Cutter News, Netflix has already begun testing video advertisements with a few streaming users, and the commercials have been promotions of other shows.
With users upset about having to watch ads during their Netflix-and-chill time, the streaming service issued the following statement:
"At Netflix, we conduct hundreds of tests every year so we can better understand what helps members more easily find something great to watch. A couple of years ago, we introduced video previews to the TV experience, because we saw that it significantly cut the time members spend browsing and helped them find something they would enjoy watching even faster. Since then, we have been experimenting even more with video based on personalized recommendations for shows and movies on the service or coming shortly, and continue to learn from our members."
Insisting that users are able to "skip" the ads at anytime, the streaming empire continued: "In this particular case, we are testing whether surfacing recommendations between episodes helps members discover stories they will enjoy faster. It is important to note that a member is able to skip a video preview at anytime if they are not interested."
Though it's not guaranteed that Netflix will implement this new ad system long-term, fans still had a lot to say about the experiment on social media. Check out some reactions below.
Is there a point of a paid subscription if Netflix starts implementing ads?
Some users are threatening to switch streaming services.
Sincerely, an angry customer.
Netflix, it's not me, it's you.
Netflix, you've turned to the dark side.
Goodbye, television; it was nice knowing you.
However, not every user is too upset with the potential change to the ad-free system.
Will you be cancelling your Netflix subscription if you're forced to watch ads?
