Netflix is going beyond “Are you still watching?” Instead, it is now opting to ask you what you think about what’s happening on the big screen.
This is similar to the streaming giant’s interactive Black Mirror: Bandersnatch film, wherein users saw on-screen elements that could be hovered over and selected. However, while the movie tasked users with deciding what happens next within pre-recorded segments, what Netflix is rolling out now will take place live.
The streaming giant is rolling out real-time voting for live events, starting off with the iconic talent competition show Star Search, which premieres today on Netflix at 6pm PT/9pm ET.
You’ll be able to use this interactive feature to place your vote alongside millions of others as the episode unfolds around the world.
Watch live or miss out on voting
Voting is supported on both mobile and larger-screen streaming devices (Smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and more). On the latter, you use a remote to hover over and select options, while the former supports touch. It’s worth noting that real-time voting is not available while watching on web browsers.
With Star Search, viewer votes “will determine, in real time, who advances in the competition and who is knocked out.” Considering that, voting will only be supported when watching live. If you rewind or pause for too long, you might miss the limited voting window.
When it is finally time to vote, you’ll see a 1–5 star rating prompt on your screen. “You can submit one rating per Netflix profile per performance, and once submitted, your vote is final. Results for each voting round are revealed live during the episode — no waiting until next week,” wrote the streaming giant.
Will you be tuning in to Star Search tonight to see what all the voting hype is about? Let us know in the comments below!
