Netflix Viewing Habits

Netflix has more people crying in public, according to data

Netflix

Ernest Macias

People are no longer only watching television from the comforts of home. Which also means people are laughing and crying along with their favorite characters… no matter where they are.

According to a study released Tuesday morning from Netflix, 67 percent of Americans download and take their shows on the go, watching them while traveling, or at work, or even while doing their business in public restrooms. Per the report, 44 percent are doing their viewing on planes, and one in five bus riders are properly entertained (and one in 10 bus or train riders have missed their stop because they were so engrossed).

Here are a few more fun and occasionally uncomfortably revealing stats the streaming giant’s survey, conducted by SurveyMonkey and based on 37,056 responses in 22 countries, found:

• 22% admit to having cried while watching in public
• 35% of Americans to respond have had a stranger interrupt them to discuss what they were watching
• 44% have caught someone watching over their shoulder
• 37% admit to binging at work
• 27% binge while waiting in a line
• 12% actually watch Netflix while in public restrooms (we hope 100 percent of those respondents washed their hands!)
• 11% had a show spoiled by peeking at another person’s screen

Netflix

“Netflixing in public has become a social norm with 60 percent of Americans watching more movies and shows in public this year than last,” Eddy Wu, director of production innovation at Netflix, said in a statement. “The introduction of the Netflix download feature has given users the freedom to watch their favorite movies and shows wherever they want, like during their commute or waiting in line, and for some… that means at work or even in a public restroom.”

If you’re planning on traveling for Thanksgiving, the streaming service will be dropping a whole bunch of new releases, including Godless and Barbra: The Music… The Mem’ries… The Magic on Nov. 22, She’s Gotta Have It on Nov. 23, and season 2 of Frontier on Nov. 24.