Netflix Launches ‘Two Thumbs Up’ User Content Ratings for TV Shows, Movies You Love

variety.com:

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorNetflix will let customers express a deeper affection for TV shows or movies that they love — not just like — with the launch of a new ratings option: two thumbs up.According to Netflix, the new feature will give the streamer a valuable signal into user preferences that will let it further refine content recommendations.

The company says it’s a happy coincidence that the name hearkens back to the trademark “two thumbs up” seal of approval from famed movie reviewing duo Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert.It’s the biggest change for Netflix’s user content ratings in five years, when the streamer discontinued the five-star content rating system in favor of the thumbs up/down paradigm, saying that the binary options provided a more reliable data set on which to base recommendations.

The new “two thumbs up” option will appear next to the thumbs up and down buttons across all platforms, including connected TVs, web, and Android and iOS mobile devices starting Monday and rolling out worldwide throughout the week. “We’ve heard from members that there’s a difference between something they liked — and something that they really loved,” said Christine Doig-Cardet, director of product innovation at Netflix. “We’re giving them more control and agency over what is being shown to them.”A single thumbs-up still lets Netflix know what subscribers liked, but two thumbs up will be a stronger signal to feed into the content-recommendation algorithm.

For example, if you give “Bridgerton” two thumbs up, you might see even more shows or films starring the show’s cast or other titles from Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland.Originally, when Netflix started exploring the introduction of a “love” button, the team used a heart icon..