Picture: Netflix
Netflix live streams just got an upgrade. Ahead of big boxing events in the Fall and, of course, the return of the NFL Games on Christmas, Netflix has quietly rolled out a new feature that allows the live audience of a show to interact in real-time.
This technology is basically commonplace on most live streams on more community-driven websites like YouTube, Twitch, or Kick. Still, it hasn’t been explored to quite the same extent on professionally produced content. There were various experiments throughout the 1990s and 2000s introducing this technology into cable TV, but it never became mainstream or commonplace. For example, in 2007, viewers of the Spike Awards were able to vote using their remote and play arcade games. There were also experiments with shopping in the early 2000s in the United States and in the United Kingdom; the red button service is probably the most comparable.
The feature was quietly rolled out this week on Netflix’s Dinner Time Live With David Chang stream, which returns for its third season with new episodes broadcasting live on Tuesday evenings. Those on both TV and mobile devices were able to vote on numerous things throughout the broadcast, including providing their ratings for things like whether you prefer soup over salad (soup won) or tuna fish being better than grilled cheese (what’s wrong with you people!?).
Picture: Netflix
Picture: Netflix
Alongside the quiet rollout, Netflix has launched a help page for the new feature, drilling down into some of the specifics.
During specific moments in a livestream, the article states, viewers are prompted on screen and given a short window to cast their vote using either their TV remote or the Netflix mobile app. Once submitted, votes cannot be changed, and each profile gets only one vote per decision point. Results are revealed instantly during the live broadcast, giving audiences the chance to see how their choices stack up against others in real time.
Voting is only available while watching live, so if you pause, rewind, or miss the event altogether, you lose the chance to participate. Currently, this feature is limited to certain live events, with shows that support voting clearly flagged at the start of the stream. The voting interface is in English, but participation is open to everyone regardless of language settings. Supported devices include most modern smart TVs, streaming devices, game consoles, and mobile devices (Android 9+ or iOS/iPadOS 17+ with the latest Netflix app). However, web browsers aren’t supported, meaning you’ll need to use a TV or mobile device to join in.
The extent to which this technology is rolled out for upcoming broadcasts is unclear, but come Netflix’s upcoming boxing matches, you may get to vote on who you think will win each bout.