We've misunderstood Netflix' star rating this whole time...

Okay so if you're anything like us, chances are that you've interpreted the Netflix star rating for a movie in a certain way. And that's probably incorrect.

You probably thought of it as an aggregated score given to it based on the feedback of other users. In other words you might have expected scores to work in the same way they do on IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes. No. You were wrong and so were we.

The stars are just Netflix's prediction of what you might like based on your viewing habits and what people with similar viewing habits also enjoy. The higher the rating, the more Netflix thinks you'll like it. 

So, ratings on one thing for you will probably be different to the rating on your friend's account.

Tbh we're a bit like: 

It's a bit annoying to find this out tbh because, like, how many movies have you turned down due to the shit ratings you see for it?

As good as it is to know this now, it doesn't mean a whole lot any more anyway because the system has/is actually changing. Instead of stars, you'll see a percentage of how well Netflix think the content is matched to your tastes. You won't be able to assign star ratings anymore, either, you can only give it a thumbs up or thumbs down.

It aims to make the process of finding something you like easier, which Netflix compare to dating apps. Watch their explanation below.