Turn It Off Now! Study Proves Netflix Autoplay Steals Your Time

According to a new study by the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago, autoplay features on streaming sites like Netflix are shaping our decisions and extending our screen time.

The study talks about turning off autoplay features and the change it could bring in user behavior. Autoplay feature on sites like Netflix stops users from deviating from streaming and this makes them watch things even if they came to the platform to watch only one episode or so.

The study brought on board 76 participants who were moderate to heavy Netflix users. They were divided into two groups, with half of the group with autoplay features turned off and half of the group with autoplay features turned on. The researchers analyzed the viewing patterns of participants over six months, and it was found that the group that had the autoplay feature turned off spent less time watching Netflix. They also took more time to look at their viewing decisions and think about whether they want to watch more content or not.

About 18 minutes of watching time were decreased when the participants had the auto-play feature turned off. One of the participants said that watching Netflix without auto-play made him realize how many episodes he has watched, but if the auto-play feature was turned on, he might not have paid attention. When the auto-play feature is on, it reduces friction and keeps users immersed in whatever they are watching so they do not get any time to make a conscious decision.

A previous research also called the auto-preview feature a “dark pattern” which manipulates users and makes them prioritize the platform over anything. Half of the participants of the study said that they would turn on the auto-play feature again because it is convenient and makes it easier for them to go to the next content. But one-third of the participants also said that they would keep their auto-play feature turned off so they can reflect on how much content they have watched. It is important for streaming platforms to rethink their auto-play feature integration and turn off auto-play in default settings because it is harmful for many people, especially children.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World