I didn’t find Netflix’s tweet funny or creepy. I found it insensitive.
I originally posted this via a Twitter thread.
While I’m a happy Netflix customer, I’m disappointed about this tweet:
The social media team at Netflix probably thought this would be funny and light-hearted.
Much of the commentary has centered around the creepiness of Netflix monitoring our individual viewing habits. But that’s all a part of the service they provide to customers, so I get it. My reaction was quite different.
The Need for Empathy
Let’s talk about empathy.
For some, the holidays can be a difficult time. They may feel sad or lonely. Movies like “A Christmas Prince” may give them comfort.
So let’s put ourselves in their shoes. Maybe it became part of their daily routine to watch this movie for 18 consecutive days. Maybe it made them feel better each and every time.
While Netflix didn’t name names, maybe these viewers didn’t need to be called out in front of Netflix’s 4+ MM Twitter followers.
Fun at Who’s Expense?
I think the Netflix tweet poked fun at these viewers: they were the brunt of the joke. The “Who hurt you?” was not genuine. Did Netflix expect people to respond with answers on who hurt them? And was Netflix prepared to help?
Here’s how one user responded:
In summary, Netflix all too easily dismissed people who are emotionally distressed. “Who hurt you?” was hurtful in its own right.
Maybe Netflix can find organizations who provide support to the emotionally distressed and pair customers (in need) with those organizations.
