Any time anything changes on the Internet, the initial reaction is negative. People hate change.
Sometimes they get used to it, and often embrace the new design, because progress can be good! Other times, the changes are indeed bad, and companies are forced to fix it with another change or revert to the way things used to be.
Netflix is no stranger to this issue. Remember Qwikster? (You really should.) And now that they’ve rolled out their long-awaited update to the review/rating system, they’re dealing with more backlash.
The new system abandons the traditional 5-star review setup for a simple YouTube-like thumbs-up/thumbs-down method. That might be easier to understand, and the simplicity could encourage more interaction with the feature (which is likely the catalyst for the change), but it also removes a lot of nuance, as Polygon notes:
The biggest issue stems from subscribers’ inability to tell the difference between a movie that’s acquired thousands of positive likes because it’s popular or if it’s based on merit. Netflix’s new algorithm, which works like most popular online dating services, does try to fix this by introducing a “matching” system that pairs what you’ve liked with films that match your taste. Even then, users are missing the five-star rating system.
And that’s a key difference. Plus, unlike an IMDB score or Metacritic or something similar, the Netflix algorithm is a key way for people to know what’s available on the service; it’s difficult to browse through the entire library, and oftentimes the service’s suggestions are the main way to discover new content or content aligned with your interests.
Now, though, this might push the people who used the star system for this purpose in the past to use the system less, due to the inability to offer a nuanced review with which to curate their own recommendations. Whether or not Netflix cares remains to be seen, but like with Qwikster, they’ve at least shown a willingness to adjust in the face of outcry.
[Polygon]
Sorry, this column bites it. The writer seems never to have used Netflix before.
If I can’t wade through the REAMS of crap movies on Netflix with real ratings, I will likely stop Netflix altogether. They are moving way too much in favor of self produced and written TV series. I want movies. I’ll go elsewhere.
People also hate change when the change is witless and serves no purpose.