Netflix announced that they are removing avatars, nicknames & bios from reviews.
We’re removing avatars, nicknames and bios associated with reviews, as very few Netflix members use them. We’re constantly working to improve the Netflix experience, and by removing these little-used features we are simplifying the review process.
Haha! This company really is amazing.
Right after their last news report topped out at 5,000 comments, most of which were angry.
Self immolation.
Posted by: ZarathustrA Tek | June 17, 2011 at 05:17 AM
Yet we were just talking about their renewed interest in Facebook integration? Guess not.
Posted by: MattChance | June 17, 2011 at 06:07 AM
What incentive do I really have anymore to write reviews? Now there is no link to my review page ANYWHERE on the site. I think it takes all of the fun out of it to have them be anonymous. Netflix FAIL.
Posted by: SuperScuba | June 17, 2011 at 12:38 PM
You forgot to mention Netflix calls this a "Minor" change that effects "2%" of Netflix users. Of course that 2% are the heaviest users, who also happen to provide probably 98% of the reviews written. Details not relevant I guess ...
After 1,500 reviews written over a decade, I get the message - no more reviews from me on Netlix!
Posted by: CJ | June 17, 2011 at 12:39 PM
Once again, this wouldn't upset me if they had an improvement / replacement / alternate in place. But instead, Netflix kills off another feature they never once promoted or improved, saying "no one used it". Maybe if you had encouraged people to use it or made it more worth using after all these years... ?
Posted by: Kushambaka | June 17, 2011 at 12:55 PM
Soooo annoying. It is always a blast when you get a sniff of homophobia from a review or some other such nonsense and than you can track down there other mouth farts all over netflix. Or on the opposite end when you find a well written funny review(See the top review on The Octagon) you can find more. lame netflix, very lame.
Posted by: Nic Peterson 9 | June 17, 2011 at 02:51 PM
Netflix sure uses a decidedly strange metric to describe getting rid of something people have used as an improvement.
Posted by: Rawmeatcritic.wordpress.com | June 17, 2011 at 05:33 PM
I agree with Rawmeatcritic's comment above. Why does Netflix seem to be going downhill in the last year or so?
Posted by: pointedview.livejournal.com | June 17, 2011 at 05:40 PM
It's about control. They'll be able to stop all the review protests. There's already precious little options to make your opinions on their policies known.
It's similar to how EA envelops the forums and blogs of the development companies they buy, brings them in-house to their servers, and then bans accounts while deleting critical comments from their forums.
Posted by: Smy Lee | June 17, 2011 at 08:07 PM
Real nice Netflix. Ugh.
Posted by: Miss Q | June 17, 2011 at 08:53 PM
I have to agree with SuperScuba. I used to post reviews. But now after watching a good movie I'll go to the movie page to find dozens if not hundreds of reviews, and I don't really feel inspired to add to that, so my personal reviewing days are pretty much over. The only thing I might review are the small indie films.
Posted by: John McLachlan | June 18, 2011 at 11:19 AM
I would have used them if I ever could have found out how!
Posted by: shthar | June 18, 2011 at 10:56 PM
Along the lines of reviews, I just wish they'd change their star ratings system. There should be something between "didn't like it" and "like it", like "it's alright" instead of the two more very positive choices after "like it". What's the difference between "really liked it" and "loved it"?
Posted by: Gobotron | June 18, 2011 at 11:14 PM
Removing the avatars I can understand. But the names? A lot of people who contribute content like reviews take pride in their work, and want others who have similar tastes to be able to follow their contributions. Netflix just made this impossible, and I bet this will cut down on the number of new reviews they get. Is this their intent?
Posted by: UltimateOutsider | June 19, 2011 at 05:11 PM
They removed reviews from the API, and now this. Netflix clearly "owns" your reviews, and now don't even attribute them to you.
Maybe this is just in preparation of switching to Facebook profiles. If so, they should just do it all at once instead of making people temporarily upset.
Posted by: FriendsOnNetflix | June 20, 2011 at 12:19 AM
Less monies means less service. Increased cost for them means increased cost for you.
Posted by: Johnson1965Tony | June 20, 2011 at 12:23 PM