Plopping down to binge-watch the latest Netflix series is a favorite pastime of, well, pretty much everyone, and that’s definitely the case over the past six months or so. We’re staying home more than ever and with little else to do, escaping to a fictional world seems like a pretty good idea to me. However, I hate when I’m mid-series and I get that annoying “Are you still watching?” message. Yes, I am, rude! If seeing this prompt gives you anxiety too, you’ll be glad to know Netflix is working on removing it.
Nothing bothers me more than when Netflix ask “are you still watching?” like yes, but now I gotta find the damn remote I dropped off my bed an episode ago!!!
— Erin Donnelly (@ERIN_go_Braagh) October 14, 2020
- The message pops up when your binge-watching game is strong. I’ve been known to put on the beginning of a season of a show and just let it run in the background while I’m working, cleaning, whatever. However, the “Are you still watching?” menu inevitably pops up, forcing me to open the app on my phone and confirm to keep watching.
- It’s supposed to be helpful but it’s not. I guess the point of the message is to make sure that if you’ve fallen asleep or left the room with the TV still playing, you get to save the spot where you left off rather than getting through half the season without meaning to. However, for a lot of people, it makes them feel anxious about sitting around too long. At best, it’s annoying.
- Netflix’s new feature trial allows you to remove the notification altogether. A spokesperson for the streaming giant told The Verge that they’re currently testing a feature that would allow users to turn off the message via their account settings so that you’re never asked “Are you still there?” again. Sweet!
- They might give you a couple other options too. Some users have shared that there may be updated options available to users, allowing them to choose “Ask again later,” “Play without asking again,” or “I’m done.” Frankly, that seems even more disruptive than the current system!
- It’s unclear whether this feature will be rolled out worldwide. Since it’s still in testing phases, it remains to be seen whether or not we’ll all get the choice to turn this option off in future, but here’s hoping.
netflix: are you still watching
me: what is your problem
— ɴᴜɢɢᴇᴛ (@gasstationgurl) October 8, 2020
