Netflix: Difference between revisions
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'''{{Wplink|Netflix|Netflix, Inc.}}''' is a media streaming service and publisher, founded in 1997 by ''Reed Hastings'' and ''Marc Randolph'' formerly for remote video rentals, it eventually became the pioneer of the video streaming industry in 2007, eventually turning to more anti-consumer practices in the mid-2010s and later. | |||
*User | ==Consumer impact summary== | ||
*User | *'''User freedom:''' Extensive history of restricting access to content, including paywalling higher quality content,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=And_You_Like_It_Too |date=Dec 16, 2023 |title=How much licensed content does Netflix display in premium formats (4K, HDR/Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos) in the 4K tier? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/18k554z/how_much_licensed_content_does_netflix_display_in/ |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250711211159/https://old.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/18k554z/how_much_licensed_content_does_netflix_display_in/ |archive-date=11 Jul 2025}}</ref> increasing costs of service, combatting password sharing, and more. | ||
*Business | |||
*Market | *'''User privacy:''' Extensive history of collecting and selling user data. | ||
*'''Business model:''' Streaming service content, [[advertising overload]] | |||
*'''Market control:''' Extensive, including free platforms like [[Roku]] TV and Pluto TV, and premium platforms such as [[Disney+]], Hulu, and [[HBO Max]]. | |||
==Controversies<!-- Potential sources: (reminder, do NOT use these as refs, only for idea finding) https://lawyerinc.com/biggest-netflix-lawsuits/ Highlights: 10, 5, 1? https://www.watchmojo.com/articles/top-20-netflix-scandals/crackdown-on-password-sharing Highlights: 20 https://alchetron.com/Legal-issues-and-controversies-surrounding-Netflix -->== | ==Controversies<!-- Potential sources: (reminder, do NOT use these as refs, only for idea finding) https://lawyerinc.com/biggest-netflix-lawsuits/ Highlights: 10, 5, 1? https://www.watchmojo.com/articles/top-20-netflix-scandals/crackdown-on-password-sharing Highlights: 20 https://alchetron.com/Legal-issues-and-controversies-surrounding-Netflix -->== | ||
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===Stream-quality controversy=== | ===Stream-quality controversy=== | ||
{{Main|Netflix stream-quality controversy}} | {{Main|Netflix stream-quality controversy}} | ||
Discovered as early as December 2023,<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rikki1256 |date=Dec 2, 2023 |title=Netflix requirements to watch 4k that you paid for |url=https:// | |||
Discovered as early as December 2023,<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rikki1256 |date=Dec 2, 2023 |title=Netflix requirements to watch 4k that you paid for |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/189odn6/netflix_requirements_to_watch_4k_that_you_paid_for/ |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250212081853/https://old.reddit.com/r/Piracy/comments/189odn6/netflix_requirements_to_watch_4k_that_you_paid_for/ |archive-date=12 Feb 2025}}</ref> Netflix has not clearly defined<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Netflix Support |title=Netflix supported browsers and system requirements |url=https://help.netflix.com/en/node/30081 |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=help.netflix.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260123055327/https://help.netflix.com/en/node/30081 |archive-date=23 Jan 2026}}</ref> every restriction for how users are capable of accessing higher quality streaming content, despite 4k content being a specified tier consumers pay for. | |||
===Advertising overload=== | ===Advertising overload=== | ||
{{Main|Advertising overload}} | {{Main|Advertising overload}} | ||
Netflix was among one of the first<ref name=":8">[https://help.netflix.com/en/node/126831 Ads on Netflix] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260211165421/https://help.netflix.com/en/node/126831 Archived])</ref> premium streaming services to integrate advertisements on top of having to pay for the service. Since then, the platform has sought progressively more avenues to integrate advertisements, including further ads.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=11 Sep 2021 |title=Share of adults who think there were too many ads on video streaming services in the United States as of September 2021, by generation |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1307619/video-streaming-advertising-frequency-by-generation-us/ |url-status=live |access-date=15 Mar 2025 |website= | Netflix was among one of the first<ref name=":8">[https://help.netflix.com/en/node/126831 Ads on Netflix] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260211165421/https://help.netflix.com/en/node/126831 Archived])</ref> premium streaming services to integrate advertisements on top of having to pay for the service. Since then, the platform has sought progressively more avenues to integrate advertisements, including further ads.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=11 Sep 2021 |title=Share of adults who think there were too many ads on video streaming services in the United States as of September 2021, by generation |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1307619/video-streaming-advertising-frequency-by-generation-us/ |url-status=live |access-date=15 Mar 2025 |website=Statista |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251114022848/https://www.statista.com/statistics/1307619/video-streaming-advertising-frequency-by-generation-us/ |archive-date=14 Nov 2025}}</ref> These advertisements have also increased the amount of data that Netflix can collect, and by extension, sell. | ||
Due to the amount of data that Netflix has been able to sell due to advertisement integration, it has also encouraged the company to raise the costs of ad-free tiers, so subscribers are forced either paying more to not see ads, or witness an increasing barrage of advertisements.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Roettgers |first=Janko |date=23 Sep 2023 |title=Why every streaming service wants you to watch ads now |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90956587/why-every-streaming-service-wants-you-to-watch-ads-now |url-status=live |access-date=15 Mar 2025 |website= | Due to the amount of data that Netflix has been able to sell due to advertisement integration, it has also encouraged the company to raise the costs of ad-free tiers, so subscribers are forced either paying more to not see ads, or witness an increasing barrage of advertisements.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |last=Roettgers |first=Janko |date=23 Sep 2023 |title=Why every streaming service wants you to watch ads now |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90956587/why-every-streaming-service-wants-you-to-watch-ads-now |url-status=live |access-date=15 Mar 2025 |website=Fast Company |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251127234258/https://www.fastcompany.com/90956587/why-every-streaming-service-wants-you-to-watch-ads-now |archive-date=27 Nov 2025}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> | ||
Additionally, starting from 2025, Netflix will be using generative AI to "serve the right ad to the right member at the right time" to subscribers of the lowest paying tier.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=May 18, 2025 |title=Netflix puts AI ads in paid tier: pirate EVERYTHING at this point... 🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️ |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhvDXmFEeUI |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=YouTube |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=QhvDXmFEeUI |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Netflix |date=May 14, 2025 |title=Netflix Upfront 2025: The Center of Attention |url=https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-upfront-2025-the-center-of-attention |access-date=May 19, 2025 |website=Netflix About |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260219040735/https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-upfront-2025-the-center-of-attention |archive-date=19 Feb 2026}}</ref> The nature of generative AI raises concerns about the quality of these advertisements. Said advertisements may also encourage further user tracking in order to "tailor" the content. Consumers were especially provoked by certain phrases used by Netflix' President of Advertising, Amy Reinhard at the Upfront 2025. Reinhard claimed that "When you compare us to our competitors, attention starts much higher and ends ''much'' higher. And even more impressive, members pay as much attention to mid-roll ads as they do to the shows and the movies themselves"<ref name=":4" />, which further raised concerns about user privacy. | Additionally, starting from 2025, Netflix will be using generative AI to "serve the right ad to the right member at the right time" to subscribers of the lowest paying tier.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossmann |first=Louis |date=May 18, 2025 |title=Netflix puts AI ads in paid tier: pirate EVERYTHING at this point... 🏴☠️🏴☠️🏴☠️ |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhvDXmFEeUI |access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=[[YouTube]] |archive-url=https://preservetube.com/watch?v=QhvDXmFEeUI |archive-date=23 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Netflix |date=May 14, 2025 |title=Netflix Upfront 2025: The Center of Attention |url=https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-upfront-2025-the-center-of-attention |access-date=May 19, 2025 |website=Netflix About |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260219040735/https://about.netflix.com/en/news/netflix-upfront-2025-the-center-of-attention |archive-date=19 Feb 2026}}</ref> The nature of generative AI raises concerns about the quality of these advertisements. Said advertisements may also encourage further user tracking in order to "tailor" the content. Consumers were especially provoked by certain phrases used by Netflix' President of Advertising, Amy Reinhard at the Upfront 2025. Reinhard claimed that "When you compare us to our competitors, attention starts much higher and ends ''much'' higher. And even more impressive, members pay as much attention to mid-roll ads as they do to the shows and the movies themselves"<ref name=":4" />, which further raised concerns about user privacy. | ||
===DRM Restrictions=== | ===DRM Restrictions=== | ||