Autoplay, a feature that automatically begins the next episode or movie without user input, has become a staple of modern streaming platforms like Netflix. But how much is this convenience truly costing us in terms of control over our time and decisions?
A new study from researchers in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago, which builds on prior work, sheds light on the unintended consequences of autoplay features, revealing how the seemingly innocuous feature may subtly influence user behavior and consumption patterns.
The research, set to be published at the Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Computing later this year, explores the effects of turning off autoplay on Netflix and the broader implications for user autonomy. The study offers compelling insights into how this feature might be reshaping our relationship with streaming platforms.
“Platforms like Netflix try to minimize friction so that opportunities for consumers to deviate from the activity in which they are passively engaged are few and far between,” said lead author and fifth-year PhD student Brennan Schaffner. “The 5-second autoplay countdown is hardly enough time for viewers to consider, or even just re-visit, their original intentions for visiting the platform.”
Turning off autoplay reduces viewing time
The study followed 76 participants who already reported moderate to heavy Netflix use. Half the group turned off autoplay, while the control group left it on. The scientists analyzed the viewing patterns of both groups over the study period, as well as the six-month period before the study.
The study found that turning off autoplay led to participants spending significantly less time watching Netflix. Participants who turned off Netflix’s autoplay took more time between episodes, allowing them to reflect on their viewing decisions and think about the content they were watching more mindfully. This decrease in watching session length—about 18 minutes per Netflix watching session—is likely a result of the increased “friction” needed to continue watching content, ultimately encouraging more conscious decision-making about when to stop watching.
One participant shared, “It did make me realize how many episodes I was watching… I didn’t pay attention to it as much before. Now I was like…‘oh ok I had to do this 3 times so this is the 3rd episode.’”
While autoplay is widely marketed as a convenient feature that lets users stay immersed in their favorite content, this research sheds light on the potential downsides. The feature removes friction, making it easier for Netflix viewers to keep watching without interruption. However, the study’s authors pointed out that this convenience may come at a cost—users may lose track of time, end up watching more content than they intended, and inadvertently contribute to negative behaviors such as disrupted sleep or other unhealthy consumption habits.
Dark patterns
Previous research has pointed to the potential for autoplay to be a form of “dark pattern” design, subtly manipulating users’ attention to prioritize engaging in the platform over user well-being.
“The concept of ‘dark patterns’ refers to a family of related digital design choices that undermine a user’s ability to make decisions in their best interest,” explained Schaffner. “They are commonly thought of as ‘platform tricks’ that guide users to make decisions they wouldn’t otherwise make.”
After turning off autoplay, study participants were asked to reflect on their experience and whether they would turn the feature back on. The results were mixed: About half of the participants indicated they would turn autoplay back on for its convenience, saying that it would be easier than having to get up and actively engage with the platform to play the next piece of content they wanted. One participant said, “I like it automatically going to the next episode so I don’t have to move out of my comfortable bed.”
On the other hand, about one-third of participants reported that they planned to keep autoplay turned off after experiencing the additional time they had to reflect on whether they wanted to continue watching or not.
Implications for autoplay design and broader impact
The findings underscore the need for streaming platforms like Netflix to rethink how autoplay is integrated into their user interfaces. By offering more granular controls over autoplay settings like turning this feature off by default or presenting users with a choice during account creation, platforms could give users the ability to balance convenience with autonomy, allowing for a more customized experience. For example, future improvements might include giving users the option to specify how many episodes they want autoplay to queue before prompting them for a decision or offering longer countdown times before automatically starting the next episode.
These design changes are important—especially for children—given the broader ethical and regulatory implications surrounding autoplay features. As platforms continue to prioritize user engagement, the potential for autoplay to influence decision-making and undermine autonomy raises serious concerns. With increasing scrutiny from regulators, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), there is growing recognition of the need to protect users from features that may manipulate their behavior.
This includes examining the impact of autoplay and similar design patterns on user well-being and autonomy—especially in the context of children’s exposure to content that may encourage problematic usage, given that automatically playing material may not have been explicitly chosen by either the child or their parents.
“This study is one of the first to isolate and measure the impact of one attention-capture dark pattern—that is, autoplay—and its effects on watching behaviors,” said Assoc. Prof. Marshini Chetty, who is the senior author on this research. “We need more studies like this that provide quantifiable measures of online manipulation to help regulators, platform designers, and researchers to enhance consumer protections and ensure that designs are not having negative consequences on society.”
—Adapted from an article first published by the Department of Computer Science.