Video streaming giant Netflix has been testing a new commercial-like ad experience with some subscribers.
The story first surfaced when Reddit user named ‘WhyAllTheTrains’ posted that Netflix has been displaying unskippable ads in-between shows.
Netflix clarified the situation in a statement to Cord Cutter News, saying that that, “we are testing whether surfacing recommendations between episodes helps members discover stories they will enjoy faster. It is important to note that a member is able to skip a video preview at any time if they are not interested.”
This means that it seems that the original Reddit post is wrong and the ads are skippable, at least according to Netflix. It’s also worth noting that these ads are for shows or movies that are available on the streaming platform.
Regular users don’t have a lot to worry about though. Netflix runs hundreds of small-scale tests a year in an effort to learn how to keep subscribers interested in its content. It’s unlikely that this feature is going to roll out to everyone — at least not for a while.
Even if the feature does become a part of the public version of Netflix, the fact that the ads are skippable is definitely a good thing. That said, a Reddit thread focused on the ads is full of users complaining about the new format. Most are angry and feel that because they pay a monthly subscription fee, they shouldn’t have to deal with ads at all.
This is a pretty reasonable viewpoint, and since a lot of the backlash has been negative, it’s unlikely that in-episode ads will get a wider rollout in the future.
Source: Cord Cutter News
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