Whenever I start up Netflix, I'm asked if I want to create an account for my children. I don't have children. I don't want children. I find most children annoying - not yours, obviously, yours are lovely. But I resent being asked every single time whether my imaginary kids want an account. It's just annoying. I can't imagine what it is like for bereaved parents who have recently lost a child. Or for those struggling with fertility issues. That constant reminder every time they try to numb…
Netflix does this so that (most of) the children’s content appears only in the children’s section. This means you don’t have to sift through 800 versions of cocomelon to find Singles Inferno. They’re literally acknowledging you don’t have children and helping you find the content you want, and simultaneously not preventing you from accessing it when your sisters little crotch goblins come over for a visit.
They have 2 good points though (even if I generally agree with you that this is a first world problem). The first is that this will likely show up for parents who have lost a child or potential parents having fertility issues and that does suck.
The second is that it’s just good UI to add a little box that says “never show this message again”. It wouldn’t take but the smallest iota of extra effort to do that. Annoying popups are honestly a first world problem. But they absolutely also show that these companies do not care, while these companies are trying to show they care.
If there ever is anything remotely competitive to Netflix, I’m gone like a shot.
Their “suggestive sell” interface is such garbage. We, the paying customers, should be able to default to a genre search without having to jump hoops every time. We, the paying customers, should be able to hit “not interested” and actually not see suggestions to watch the “not interested” title again. We, the paying customers, should be able to view the available catalog as we choose, not as their manipulative algorithms choose. The only reason we’re still with Netflix is because the ad-free version is still affordable, but their content selection system is heavy advertising in and of itself.
Honestly, folks, if you want to watch a couple of movies a week I bet your local public library has a better interface allowing you to choose from new releases and a deep catalog, all for free - you just have to drive by once a week to pick up / drop off your selections.
No, that is not the reason for a child account that has age based restrictions. That is a reason for having multiple profiles so the recommendations and watch history are separated.
Being forced to have additional profiles you don’t need is terrible design.
Netflix does this so that (most of) the children’s content appears only in the children’s section. This means you don’t have to sift through 800 versions of cocomelon to find Singles Inferno. They’re literally acknowledging you don’t have children and helping you find the content you want, and simultaneously not preventing you from accessing it when your sisters little crotch goblins come over for a visit.
Most first-world-problem shit I’ve ever heard.
Yeah I shouldn’t criticize my paid service because there are bigger problems out there
They have 2 good points though (even if I generally agree with you that this is a first world problem). The first is that this will likely show up for parents who have lost a child or potential parents having fertility issues and that does suck.
The second is that it’s just good UI to add a little box that says “never show this message again”. It wouldn’t take but the smallest iota of extra effort to do that. Annoying popups are honestly a first world problem. But they absolutely also show that these companies do not care, while these companies are trying to show they care.
If there ever is anything remotely competitive to Netflix, I’m gone like a shot.
Their “suggestive sell” interface is such garbage. We, the paying customers, should be able to default to a genre search without having to jump hoops every time. We, the paying customers, should be able to hit “not interested” and actually not see suggestions to watch the “not interested” title again. We, the paying customers, should be able to view the available catalog as we choose, not as their manipulative algorithms choose. The only reason we’re still with Netflix is because the ad-free version is still affordable, but their content selection system is heavy advertising in and of itself.
Honestly, folks, if you want to watch a couple of movies a week I bet your local public library has a better interface allowing you to choose from new releases and a deep catalog, all for free - you just have to drive by once a week to pick up / drop off your selections.
No, that is not the reason for a child account that has age based restrictions. That is a reason for having multiple profiles so the recommendations and watch history are separated.
Being forced to have additional profiles you don’t need is terrible design.
Don’t need yet, and that’s my whole point.
Netflix’s approach is: “we know you probably don’t want this shit, but if you ever do it’s behind this big button on page 1”.
That’s helping you avoid kids content, not hindering you.
But I want my own content bubble organized antithetical to my convenience and I want it now.