Netflix slammed for “greedy” ad scheme that rewards binge-watching

Netflix is under fire once more, this time for what’s been described as a “greedy” ad scheme that rewards binge-watching.

This year hasn’t been the smoothest ride for Netflix subscribers. First, there was the password-sharing crackdown, which put an abrupt end to the age-old tradition of leeching off friends and family members’ accounts.

Then Netflix and Hollywood’s other streaming giants faced the writers’ and actors’ strikes, which put a halt to major productions as the unions fought for fairer pay in the streaming era. And that’s before we talk about the pricing shakeups, which saw Netflix axe its $9.99 per month ad-free Basic Plan before hiking the cost of its Standard and Premium Plans.

Considering we’re in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, many have turned to Netflix’s ad-supported subscription, which costs $6.99 per month – less than half of the next plan up. For those who do, the streaming juggernaut is offering a cheeky little deal, one that’s gone down like a lead balloon. 

Netflix slammed for “greedy” ad scheme that rewards binge-watching

In a recent blog post, Netflix announced that as a reward to subscribers of its ad-supported plan, it will give them the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free episode if they binge-watch a certain number of episodes first. 

“Starting in Q1 2024, our advertisers globally will be able to utilize our new binge ad (wt) format that taps into the viewing behavior of watching multiple episodes in a row,” it explained. “After watching three consecutive episodes, members will be presented with a fourth episode ad-free.”

Considering the streaming giant has already faced plenty of heat for its focus on boosting revenue of late, it’ll come as no surprise that this initiative has been roasted online. One X/Twitter user described it as “just greedy,” while another wrote: “That’s pathetic tbh.”

“What in the Black Mirror,” quipped a third, while a fourth asked: “So do they like hang out in one big room just making up stuff as they go along?” 

Numerous commenters suggested Netflix and other streaming services are becoming more akin to cable TV, with one saying: “TBH nothing about this is new, they’re just making it more and more like cable TV, same path it’s been going down ever since it became mainstream thanks to networks gradually forcing things to be more and more like they had it before.”

Not everyone is against the idea, however, with plenty of people accepting the challenge. “This will be a piece of cake. Binging shows is my super power,” said one, with another adding: “As an ad-supported Netflix viewer, this news made my day!”

You can read more about Netflix’s password crackdown rules here and its price hikes here.