Until now, Netflix users could rate how much they liked a film or series with a thumbs up or down. But now there is also a double thumbs up. What’s behind it?
The new double thumb is part of Netflix’s improved rating system. In Germany, too, it is already displayed under all films, series and documentaries. TECHBOOK reveals what it is used for and what purpose it has.
The double thumb on Netflix is used for this
“Do you like it or do you love it?” That’s the question that Netflix’s new double thumb can now answer. It is an extension of the streaming content rating system used by the Netflix algorithm. And this is how it works: If users like a series, film or documentary, but don’t necessarily feel the need to see more of it, they can give it a “thumbs up”. On the other hand, in cases where they were enthusiastic about the story and want to see more of the genre in the future, the double thumb comes into play. It signals to Netflix that what has been seen has absolutely met the taste of the user. The algorithm will therefore suggest more of such content in the future. By the way, the thumb down signals exactly the opposite – the story was nothing and you don’t need more of it.
Netflix has introduced the double thumb in several countries. It’s available on both TV and web, as well as Netflix’s Android and iOS apps. We too could already see the new rating symbols, at least in the web version of Netflix. It was noticeable that Netflix even describes the thumbs – with “Not for me”, “I like” and the new double thumb “Great!”.
“Consider the double thumbs-up as a way to refine your recommendations to see even more shows or movies influenced by what you love,” Netflix says of the new feature.
Also read: An overview of what’s new on Netflix
Thumbs have replaced star rating
With the additional thumb, Netflix is returning somewhat to the old rating system that was replaced by thumbs a few years ago. In the past, users could use up to five stars to indicate how much they liked a film or series. Although the star system was relatively differentiated, it was not really clear. The question was often asked: are three stars good or bad? The thumb made it clearer as it simply points up if you like it and down if you don’t like it. However, the finer tuning that Netflix has now brought back with the double thumb was missing.