Netflix's overly simplified thumb ratings are here
Say goodbye to stars.
The rumors are true: Netflix is dropping its star-based rating system in favor of "Thumbs," a new way for you to vote up (like) or down (don't like) on movies and TV shows that show up on your feed. As Variety reported earlier this month, the streaming service began testing this feature in 2016, but only with a small number of subscribers. Starting today though, Netflix will start rolling it out to all users on its site, mobile apps, gaming consoles, set-top boxes and smart TVs.
In addition to Thumbs, the company is introducing new "percentage match scores," an algorithm that relies on your viewing habits to suggest how much you may be into different titles on the platform. For example, if you're into dramas series and go to the landing page for a show like The Crown, you might notice an icon that says it's a 90 or 95 percent match. That number could also be lower, naturally, depending on what each individual in your account typically watches.
Netflix says both of these features are going to help it make better recommendations to you, which it hopes translates into you spending less time browsing and more time watching.
