Netflix Unveils “Two Thumbs Up” Rating Option for Content You Really Love

The post Netflix Unveils “Two Thumbs Up” Rating Option for Content You Really Love appeared first on Consequence.

For those times when a single thumbs up just doesn’t cut it, Netflix now has you covered. The streamer has begun rolling out a new two thumbs up rating option, allowing users to indicate the movies and TV shows they really love.

As Netflix tells it, the new two thumbs up feature — which winks at the trademark “two thumbs up” seal of approval from movie critic duo Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert — will give them even more insight into user preferences, further refining their content recommendations.

Beginning this week, Netflix subscribers will start seeing the two thumbs up option alongside the existing thumbs up and thumbs down buttons. Two thumbs up will send a stronger signal to Netflix’s recommendation algorithm than just one. For example, if you give Squid Game two thumbs up, you can probably expect to be recommended a lot more Korean thrillers.

This marks the biggest change in Netflix’s rating system since 2017, when they swapped out the five-star system for a simple “like” and “dislike.” While the more streamlined system boosted user engagement, Netflix Director of Product Innovation Christine Doig-Cardet told Variety that some members weren’t satisfied with just two options.

“We’ve heard from members that there’s a difference between something they liked — and something that they really loved,” Doig-Cardet added. “We’re giving them more control and agency over what is being shown to them.”

Netflix began testing the two thumbs up feature in the latter half of 2021. In follow-up interviews and surveys, members of the test groups reported that they felt their recommendations were getting better.

But don’t expect to see a two thumbs down option. Doig-Cardet also said that the current thumbs down option isn’t very widely used — if subscribers don’t like a show, they’ll usually just stop watching it. But that alone, as well as removing a show you don’t like from your “keep watching” lineup, helps tailor your recommendations, too.

If you’re curious what the Consequence staff might give two thumbs up, you can revisit our list of the 100 best Netflix original series. The streamer also recently debuted an extremely useful “Short-Ass Movies” section, thanks to an SNL sketch starring one Pete Davidson.

Netflix Unveils “Two Thumbs Up” Rating Option for Content You Really Love
Abby Jones

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