Netflix Reveals New Way To Rate Movies In Quirky Video

For years, Netflix users could rate videos they watched through the streaming service using a five-star rating system. Now, the company has decided to incorporate a new, simpler system.

The new rating system--as seen in the video above--will have one of two choices: thumbs up or thumbs down. Based on your votes, Netflix will be able to find content that matches what you might be interested in, when compared to the user's previous ratings, other users who vote similar to your tastes, and other factors. The match percentage will also appear on the card with the video, in place of the star rating.

Considering that Netflix has exploded in popularity since the company started its streaming service back in 2007, the new system may turn people on to content they normally wouldn't watch. Many times, users may pass on watching something based on the low ratings of other subscribers, even if the content is something they'd like. The new rating system is more streamlined and will hopefully bring an end to the struggle of browsing for the perfect content.

The new system was tested last year with some Netflix subscribers. Director of Product Innovation, Cameron Johnson, explained why this system is better for their users on the Netflix blog: "[W]hen people see thumbs, they know that they are used to teach the system about their tastes with the goal of finding more great content. That’s why when we tested replacing stars with thumbs we saw an astounding 200% increase in ratings activity."

Currently, the new system is not in place, and there is no information for when it will go into effect.