How Netflix Secretly Controls What You Want To Watch

When we fire up Netflix, we’re offered a wide range of titles to binge on. But how we choose our TV shows and movies is subtly influenced by the streaming company itself.

There are many factors taken into account by the Netflix algorithm when a user logs in. There are the simple things, like showing some of the most popular action titles high up to people who mostly pick films and TV shows from that genre. But there are also much more complicated calculations taken into account. This involves introducing people to new types of content they don’t usually watch, so they can experience different content than what they’re used to.

Netflix has previously stated it believes that, if a user doesn’t find anything to watch in the first 60–90 seconds, then they’ll lose interest and move away from Netflix. This puts a lot of pressure on the company to offer personalized choices and capture our attention immediately.

The company runs a huge number of product tests each year, and tries everything out on a large number of users, from changing the banner image to the recently introduced auto-play trailers.

Personalization doesn’t just end with the titles that are on your home screen as you log in. Even the artwork is changed to appeal to each individual user’s preferences. In a post on Medium, Netflix revealed how it changes artworks based on which movies or actors you enjoy watching.

Take Good Will Hunting, for example, the movie starring Matt Damon, Minnie Driver, and Robin Williams. If you’re a fan of romance, then Netflix will show you artwork of Damon and Driver leaning in for a kiss. If you’ve historically watched more comedy, then Robin Williams will appear as the artwork on the homepage instead. Similarly, with Pulp Fiction, if you watch more movies with John Travolta than Uma Thurman, you’ll see the Grease and Face/Off star first, rather than Thurman.

“Of course, not all the scenarios for personalizing artwork are this clear and obvious. So we don’t enumerate such hand-derived rules but instead rely on the data to tell us what signals to use,” the company wrote in the Medium post. “Overall, by personalizing artwork we help each title put its best foot forward for every member.”

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.