By NURUL KAUTHAR SHAMSHUL BAHAR
ONE episode turns into three episodes. Two hours later, Netflix is asking if you are still there and it is already past midnight.
Sounds familiar? That is not your willpower but it is the algorithm doing its job. Streaming platforms know what keeps you hooked, clicking and turning a quick unwind session into a complete binge-watching one.
Understanding how they grasp your attention is the first step to avoiding being trapped. Streaming platforms are flooded with content, so users spend an average of 10.5 minutes just hunting for something they like. That search fatigue makes many cancel subscriptions.
To fix this, platforms use smart algorithms that pick shows and movies customised to your taste, saving you the hassle of choosing. In the digital age, these recommendation systems have become the secret sauce that keeps you glued to the screen.
Researchers say the algorithm actually changes the whole viewing experience. It digs into your watch history, favourite genres and even beloved actors to create personalised suggestions, a long-term trick to keep you interested and entertained.
Take Netflix, for example. It tunes every thumbnail and image based on what you have watched before, shaping the visual that will catch your eye. The goal is simple: make the preview so appealing you can’t resist clicking.
Remember the old days when everyone gathered around the television at 8pm to watch the same news or show? That “shared moment” is gone.
Now, news appears on social media and people binge-watch on streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney+ or Prime. The old TV schedule that united viewers has been replaced by endless personalised choices, splitting audiences into separate viewing bubbles.
Due to streaming algorithms customising recommendations to each person’s taste, two friends watching the same platform can end up in totally different “worlds” of content. This means fewer common topics to chat about, weakening social glue and making it harder to find shared experiences.
On the other side, the internet lets anyone broadcast their creations straight to a massive audience. Creators no longer need huge budgets or TV deals to get noticed. Smart algorithms can push unknown shows into the spotlight, letting niche content go global.
Think of Squid Game, a Korean series that blew up worldwide thanks to streaming hype, proving that modern promotion relies on algorithmic discovery rather than traditional advertisements.
Algorithms now connect diverse viewers with stories they would have missed, turning niche gems into global sensations. It has flipped the game. Instead of scrolling and searching for shows, the streaming platforms now decide what you watch, giving them massive control over your attention. The system locks viewers in a “bubble” that keeps them streaming non-stop.
In the meantime, creators can break through without oldschool gatekeepers, finding success on their own terms. Traditional media is losing the race. Users have turned into passive players who just follow personalised recommendations, moving from intentional viewing into automatic binge-mode. The platform pushes you to the next suggested title, apparently because it is the next one that shows up on the recommendation list.
The system gets smarter and more complex, shaping your viewing habits deep inside you. When you settle on the couch, ask yourself: “Is the show you are about to binge something you really want or just the platform’s suggestion?”
Break the bubble by choosing what truly interests you, not just what the algorithm serves up.
Nurul Kauthar Shamshul Bahar is a Master’s student from the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Universiti Teknologi Mara. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
Source: the-untold-story-of-streaming-algorithms
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