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Movies Television Technology

Netflix Will Now Let You Disable Its Awful Autoplaying Feature (theverge.com) 60

Posted by BeauHD from the it's-about-time dept.
Netflix announced today that subscribers will now be able to disable the autoplay functionality that occurs on its homepage. The Verge reports: People can choose to disable autoplay in two different formats: one that automatically starts the next episode in a series and one that autoplays previews while browsing. Netflix rolled out an option to disable autoplay with episodes in a series way back in 2014, but this new setting specifically relates to the autoplay previews on the homepage.

Both features have amassed tons of complaints from subscribers and creators. Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Knives Out director Rian Johnson tweeted his "current favorite console game: navigating Netflix without triggering autoplay promos." There are Reddit threads, YouTube videos, and, of course, tweets from angry customers who have asked Netflix to please, for the love of all that's good in the world, stop with the annoying autoplay features. One person was so frustrated that they created an entire Twitter account just to ask Netflix to please stop. Users can visit an updated help page on Netflix's website to learn how to disable the function.
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Netflix Will Now Let You Disable Its Awful Autoplaying Feature More

Netflix Will Now Let You Disable Its Awful Autoplaying Feature

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  • Now please Amazon Prime (Score:3)

    by theshowmecanuck ( 703852 ) on Thursday February 06, 2020 @06:44PM (#59699700) Journal
    Please stop showing previews for shows before the video starts, especially as you always choose shows I would never fucking watch in a million years. And while you're at it, how about giving Canadian viewers something other than mostly shit to watch (you have a lot of really good home grown shows, but almost all the other content sucks the bone).
    • I've never seen auto play previews on Amazon...

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by AK Marc ( 707885 )
        Not autoplay. The complaint was about the ads on Amazon. We paid, no ads.

        • How is "Amazon Prime" not paid?

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by AK Marc ( 707885 )
            You pay for Amazon Prime Video. You get a paid video service. It includes ads, advertising Amazon Prime Video.

            So people who don't want to pay to see ads for something they already have will complain.

    • And the content that doesn't suck simply tells us "Subscribe to Starz to view this!".

      Yeah, no. Fuck you, Amazon Prime Video.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by djrosen ( 265939 )

      On my 4K Amazon Fire stick, I just tap >> once and the preview is bypassed. Valid workaround if you are on one of their devices.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by rtb61 ( 674572 )

        I was going to try Fire Stick but Amazon the pack o cunts, are dumping the old model in Australia at the new model price, so they can go fuck themselves, along with Amazon prime.

    • Or with youtube, where you must watch an advertisement before you watch any of the Superbowl advertisements or any movie previews. Ie, you must watch an ad before you can see an ad.

  • Oh, No (Score:3, Funny)

    by Pirulo ( 621010 ) on Thursday February 06, 2020 @06:51PM (#59699722)
    I just started to like it.

  • At last! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by DontBeAMoran ( 4843879 ) on Thursday February 06, 2020 @07:02PM (#59699762)

    A way to disable the useless, bandwidth and CPU-wasting video previews.

    Now how about adding something that should have been there since the beginning: a "Trailer" button? You know, like every other online video streaming service.

  • Wait (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anachronous Coward ( 6177134 ) on Thursday February 06, 2020 @07:19PM (#59699822)
    This lets you turn off preview autoplay WHILE BROWSING. It says nothing about the trailers that automatically play and cut off the fucking credits that I'm trying to watch, which is the most annoying thing of all. Bastards!
    • I mean for movies, not when auto-advancing from one episode of a series to the next (I really don't mind that).
    • Yup. That "feature" seems really disrespectful to me given that it obliterates the credits.
    • This is exactly the feature that I hated most, all kind of audio noise, when I just want to browse to stuff I actually wanted to see. The in-video ads are the second annoyance on my list. Did I just pay a subscription to see in-video ads for other netflix stuff and thus wait for my favorite content? I ALREADY HAVE NETFLIX !?>11 I don't have all day to watch ads for stuff I will never see.

    • It says nothing about the trailers that automatically play and cut off the fucking credits

      There are two new options you can disable, one is autoplay the start of the next episode - I thought that would just let the credits go on without shrinking them down.

      If I play the end of the first episode of the Witcher now for example, the credits roll on without minimizing as they used to.

      I have both new options disabled currently.

      Note I'm not sure this switch takes effect on older clients, on my Apple TV it seems

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by DrXym ( 126579 )
        You'd think the unions representing all those people in the credits would have words to say about streaming services which either chop them out or shrink them down so you can't see them. I don't personally enjoy watching most credits but occasionally a movie will put in some extra effort to keep you engaged, e.g. Pixar movies.

  • Holy shit, /. was useful, for once! (Score:3)

    by TigerPlish ( 174064 ) on Thursday February 06, 2020 @07:28PM (#59699850)

    A useful article to accomplish a worthy goal! Wow!

    Seriously tho, if Netflix's keep tabs of who has what enabled/disabled, they're about a feel a titanic *WHACK* as the world entire simultaneously disables that annoying homepage autoplay shit.

    • Re:Holy shit, /. was useful, for once! (Score:4, Informative)

      by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 ) on Thursday February 06, 2020 @07:45PM (#59699896)

      As soon as I saw this news, I quit reading and immediately logged into Netflix to disable that "feature". It is that bloody annoying.

      • Came to say the same, and did the same.

        Thanks Netflix and (amazingly) thanks Slashdot.

      • Yep, same here.
        I had grown accustomed to hitting the Mute button while browsing just to silence the fucking audio at least.
        If Netflix had an ass we could all slap for this annoying misfeature it would be cherry fucking red by now. That's what it takes for them to listen.. maybe.

        • Same here. The audio is so goddamned lout that it is very disruptive in our living room. I hated it when I had to rush to move the mouse arrow away from any title off to the side to keep it from blurting out disturbing audio.

          I recall when they first started this and we could opt out then they made it mandatory.

          Fuck 'em.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by AK Marc ( 707885 )
            It's not just me? How is it the autoplay is louder than the show it plays? If they had the autoplay at 80% or 50% volume rather than 250% volume, they probably would have gotten fewer complaints.

            • Yeah, I remember when they were pushing the show "Lucifer" - the clip they used started with this woman shouting "LUCIFER!". After the first half-dozen times I was ready to throw my remote through the TV.

      • As soon as I saw this news, I quit reading and immediately logged into Netflix to disable that "feature". It is that bloody annoying.

        Yep exactly the same.

    • How many people will actually learn about it and disable it?

      How many of those people are their core market?

      • How many people will actually learn about it and disable it?

        This is the third place I've heard about it since yesterday, on sites with very different demographics. Everyone is talking about this.

    • I did that immediately last night, though I heard about it elsewhere.
      I didn't mind previews quite so much on my PC or mobile, it didn't slow me down too much, but on my home rig - a new Sony 4K Blu-Ray through a 2014 Samsung 50" - it would black out the entire screen for 2 seconds or more, then start playing the stupid preview full screen; I'd hit 'return" to get back to browsing, but if I didn't keep moving quickly, paused for just 1 second to read a description or simply moved along too slowly, the scr

  • 1) This is the best news I've heard all day!
    2) If this isn't something that can actually bring all of SlashDot together in agreement, then what the heck is wrong with us?? lol

  • Oh, sweet jesus yes (Score:3)

    by Hadlock ( 143607 ) on Thursday February 06, 2020 @07:52PM (#59699910) Homepage Journal

    I've basically stopped using Netflix because of the autoplay feature. I can't sit and collect my thoughts, it just starts playing videos and shit. We've mostly switched to using the youtube app because it doesn't have autoplay.

    • Same! Streaming services better watch out, YouTube with no ads is pretty on par with them. At least until better/more original movies come out.

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion

      • Netflix supposedly implemented preview autoplay because of massive amounts of analysis showed that this kept people watching.

        I think they misinterpreted "Goddamn hit, hit play and make it shut up!" for a legit "engagement." And because focus groups or whatnot garbage, we got stuck with a monumental Do Not Want.

      • massive amounts of analysis showed that this kept people watching

        Which is a little silly - don't they want to keep subscribers and pay as little as possible to do it? More utilization does not mean more subscriber dollars. Just lower profit margin.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jetkust ( 596906 )
      I was able to avoid it at first by using the outdated Netflix app on my Vizio for a while. After that I just pretty much stopped using it. I did recently start just using the Android app on my phone to set up my list, but still barely watch anything because there's still that slight sense of dread realizing I have to open that roku app again to watch on my tv. Aweful experience.

      • Wouldn't that outdated Vizio app have stopped working on December 1st? They ended all support for devices that didn't have the auto-play.

  • They created an entire Twitter account? Now that's dedication to a cause.

  • Annoying Features (Score:3)

    by phalse phace ( 454635 ) on Thursday February 06, 2020 @08:17PM (#59699974)

    Finally. These annoying features should be opt-in, not opt-out.

    Want to roll out a new feature? Ask subscribers first if they want to enable it. Don't automatically do it without their consent.

    How hard can that be?

    • Or, at least allow OPT OUT. But I do agree, I'd rather have opt-in than forced, and have to manually opt-out.
      They added this crapfest that took years to finally allow people to disable.

    • They do rigorous A/B testing and promote whatever increases addiction. They stop when they start to alienate a certain percentage of viewers.

      And when I say stop I mean provide an opt out.

      It's business 101. How hard can that be?

  • Can we get rid of the video's rating overlay?
    You know, the one that sits in the upper left corner to warn you that you are watching an R rated Marvell movie with violence and such. Then, it distracts you a second time as it fades away.

    Of course there is minimizing the credits. I like to see credits, and check out new movies or T.V. shows by an actor I just watched. Vudu makes that easy since you can click it the actor's name in the videos info page.

    How about getting rid of the profile pictures?
    You kno

  • >"Netflix announced today that subscribers will now be able to disable the autoplay functionality that occurs on its homepage. "

    It's about F'ing time!

    I should be grateful, but it never should have occurred in the first place. But..... thanks.

    Now please go back to actual ratings instead allow us only to choose between either super or horrible. Nothing in life works that way. Nothing.

    Google, your turn next: please get rid of that stupid thumbnail animation s**t on Youtube. How can ANYONE think it is u

    • Google, your turn next: please get rid of that stupid thumbnail animation s**t on Youtube. How can ANYONE think it is useful or not annoying?

      While I wouldn't miss it if it was gone, I do actually find it useful. Youtube used to pick the thumbnail automatically, then they let authors choose their own, then they let them outright upload arbitrary images. Then after complaints about garbage clickbait thumbnails they tried going back to non-user definable thumbnails on a trial basis but authors demonstrated conclusively "engagement" was down on the trial videos. (Personally I think that if you need clickbait to get traffic your channel should be for

    • I immediately set my preferences to stop showing those godawful auto-previews. At last something all of /. can agree on!

      Now please go back to actual ratings instead allow us only to choose between either super or horrible. Nothing in life works that way. Nothing.

      Of all the bad interface decisions they made, I probably understand their justification for this one best. It's just not in their interest to show you they brought you a bunch of crappy content. I don't mind.

      Besides, the 80/20 rule applies to all things and this is no exception.

      But overall: thank you Netflix; I approve.

  • I gave up on them when they activated that "feature".

  • Good! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by ChatHuant ( 801522 ) on Friday February 07, 2020 @02:14AM (#59700662)

    Maybe in another ten years they'll add a "never suggest this to me again" button as well, and finally reach the sophistication and usability of an UI from the early ninety nineties...

  • This includes both the app integrated into LG Web OS and whatever runs on amazon stick.
    Netflix simply does what expect it to do when amazon... shows me actors who are present in the movie in that particular moment..
    Oh, and I surely have to make my mind about language and resolution of the movie upfront, sure thing, amazon.

    My point is, regarding app with great usability as "terrible" is not justified.

  • ...the road is long ! Netflix UI/UX no matter what client you are using is a pure disaster and should not be followed but when you're #1 on the market you can do whatever you want anyway... Not to say Amazon prime video is any better (worse actually).

    • ...the road is long !
      Netflix UI/UX no matter what client you are using is a pure disaster and should not be followed but when you're #1 on the market you can do whatever you want anyway... Not to say Amazon prime video is any better (worse actually).

      Netflix is pretty awesome on 5 year old LG Bluray players.

      No autoplay, full end credits and not even the age overlay or skip intro at the beginning of a show. The title selection is just static images. It's great and I don't mind the minute the app needs to start up or the long buffering before each episode.

      When I watch something on Netflix on my Ipad, I'm always fighting the UI.... I hope the bluray player app will be supported for a long time because without it, Netflix would be half the fun.

      • Are you sure it didn't stop working on December 1st? They got rid of support for most of the legacy players then.

  • I think it is good to have the option to disable it. But dang...it is far from the worst thing ever. I actually find it fairly useful when I am scrolling thru shows looking for something to watch.

    • Glad you like it.

      One of my issues is that scrolling through videos has a pause before the "cursor" moves, because my Roku 3 was busy playing a video preview. It used to be fast, so I could skip sections I was not interested in. Now it takes not quite twice as long, but maybe more than 50% more time to scroll. It varies a bit, I guess depending on where and what is happening.

      Plus, since I can use the Roku 3 remote's headphones, they have no mute of audio. So I can't stay at any menu entry very long witho

  • One person was so frustrated that they created an entire Twitter account just to ask Netflix to please stop.

    Such incredible dedication to the cause! I could understand making part of a Twtter account, but hanging in there to create an entire Twitter account is really going above and beyond the call of duty. Amazing sacrifice.

  • ...is preventing autoplay of the next episode. i don't want to binge watch. i want to watch one episode in one sitting

  • ...is reading the netflix help because apparently this includes autoplaying next episodes as well.

    why doesn't slashdot have an edit button?

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