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Netflix is denying accusations that the order in which its new animated anthology, Love, Death & Robots, is presented is based on each viewer’s sexual orientation.
The curious issue came to light when Out in Tech cofounder/LGBTQ+ tech advocate Lukas Thoms suggested on Twitter that Love, Death & Robots changes up the episode order “based on whether Netflix thinks you’re gay or straight.” Thoms shared side-by-side screen grabs of playlists that open with the official first episode, “Sonnie’s Edge” (in which the titular lesbian hero braves an underground world of “beastie” fights), or, as he put it, one that features “the most realistic and explicit hetero sex.”
There are reports that the episode order for Queer Eye‘s new season on Netflix is similarly shuffled.
“We’ve never had a show like Love, Death & Robots before so we’re trying something completely new: presenting four different episode orders,” Netflix explained on Twitter. “The version you’re shown has nothing to do with gender, ethnicity, or sexual identity — info we don’t even have in the first place.”
We've never had a show like Love, Death & Robots before so we're trying something completely new: presenting four different episode orders. The version you're shown has nothing to do with gender, ethnicity, or sexual identity — info we don't even have in the first place.
— Netflix (@netflix) March 19, 2019
The “info we don’t even have” part of the streaming giant’s defense has drawn more than a bit of side-eye since, as Tech Crunch notes, Netflix’s TV show and movie recommendations — including the photos/actors used to promote them — are clearly customized based on aggregated user data.
Netflix, though, maintains the Love, Death & Robots issue isn’t about guessing at your sexuality, but just an experiment with non-serialized programming. As it told Tech Crunch, “We want to showcase the variety of shorts within the anthology series in different ways and see what works for our members.”
As far I’m concerned, Netflix recommends shows based on shows that you watched before. So, if you watched lgtb+ themed shows then is what they will recommend.
That would have been ludicdous, how would Netflix be able to guess my sexuality based on me watching the Marvel-shows, Stranger Things or Arrested Development
Seriously. And taking into consideration how many people use the same account. My girlfriend, her sister, and her little nephew all use the account. So everything from Marvel, to horror, reality shows, and kids shows are on there.
It isn’t a secret Netflix has been trying to determine viewers sexual identities when it is running a LGBTQ tag for some time on a wide range if shows. The more you watch shows with those tags the more it assumes you are open to that content (ie not assuming your sexual identity but your openness to it).
That they are altering presentation order based of your perceived interests is itself somewhat alarming.
Welcome to the internet, where absolutely everything is based off your perceived interests, even your google search results. that’s one of the purposes of cookies.
It might not be specifically based on those things, but they could make an educated guess on your interests based on what you have watched.
In general it seems like Netflix has gotten a little big brother ish in its attempts to “customize” for its users.
In 2016, when I pressed play on the new season of Black Mirror, it took me straight to San Junipero (ep. 4), the episode about lesbians. This queer is feeling very targeted.
You were sent directly to the best episode of the season and you’re complaining?
Okie doke.
that must be the only episode you watched of that season..
…is this just an early start on an April fools joke
Why would this be a bad thing? I would like to see it go even farther, like you could block gay or straight show altogether, it would be nice if they could add a feature that would skip gay/straight sex scenes as well. Personally if I never saw a gay sex scene again I would be happy and i’m sure there are gay people that feel the same about straight sex scenes
Man, you’re not even trying to hide your homophobia. You’re trash.
Man you can’t see past you’re own bias, I have no problem with gay people I believe they should be able to love whomever they want and live long and happy and safe lives but I don’t want to see two dudes banging on my TV I find it gross to watch that’s no homophobia it’s just my natural reaction and I don’t see why I should be shamed for it, there are gay people that find watching a man and woman having sex gross do you call them hetrophobic? I doubt it? I don’t hate or dislike gay people I judge them as individuals like I judge everyone else I don’t care if they hold hands in public and don’t mind if they give each other a kiss in public I just don’t want to watch them having sex.
Your response just doubled down on your homophobia, bigot. Get out of here.
So you have a problem with gay people having sex but straight people no? Ok…
What about someone that is gay asking another man out on a date? What if it was two lesbians instead of two gay men?
You are entitled to your opinion but the way it is coming across is very homophobic. It is best that you just walk away from this now.
I really don’t understand why you’re being attacked
Everyone likes and dislikes watching different things. So what? I’m gay, and have no interest watching lesbian sex.
You’re a snow flake, people have the right to say they don’t want to see something and it’s not an afront to lgbtq community, it’s their opinion and it was stated in a straightforward way without any derogatory terms. You were the one judging for a nicely put forward opinion. You are the one who is trash!
I want this as well, for all sex scenes. I don’t want to watch any of them, just dont understand why sex has to be displayed in damn near every show. Gay or straight, doesn’t matter – I don’t want to see two (or more) people going at it on my tv. Shows aren’t supposed to be cheap porn, they’re supposed to be a different story. I don’t care what anyone is, the option to skip sex scenes would be fantastic. Especially if you watch something with your family too!
This isn’t about blocking content. It’s about ordering it based on preference. Shows have ratings that can be explored and certain types of material can be blocked, if that’s what you want, but they’re not going to make edited versions of content. There are ways of viewing edited shows and movies. I have some Christian Family members who have employed such tactics, but I have issues with the practice. If you’re not going to watch it as the creators intended, I’d say skip it. I’d also say that sex scenes are not as pervasive as you assume, but I can’t really speak to what qualifies, in your opinion. I have very few personal limits, so I wouldn’t make a good judge of what’s too much for the puritanical set.
Don’t worry D. You’re not even the slightest bit homophobic and most rational people see that. Unfortunately in this world of over sensitivity if you’re not 100% on board with everything LGBTQ.. and don’t absolutely agree with everything you’re labelled a bigot by crazy lefties.
You’re already getting veiled threats from someone. Example: “just walk away”. Very very sad :(
Is it a requirement that every sex scene should be personally stimulating? Seeing two men together holds no sexual appeal for me, but I don’t lament their presence in a story. I’m simply indifferent to it. There’s a wide latitude between finding something so off-putting that you can’t even look at it, and simply realizing that it merely leaves you disaffected. I’d debate whether or not such strong reactions speak to larger issues, but I’m no therapist.
I don’t get it. What do they achieve by presenting these episodes in different orders? I watched the whole thing and I don’t see how it would make a difference. I do commend the animators for making Topher Grace and Mary Elizabeth Winstead so lifelike in their episode.
Also, as a gay man, why on earth would I want to watch a lesbian sex scene?? It’s the POLAR OPPOSITE of what gets me off.
Interesting how you called out someone for not wanting to watch m/m scenes and then said basically the exact same thing in even harsher language about f/f scenes, which many might see as lesphobia, when, I imagine in actuality, it’s just a case of people being different. Attacking each other isn’t much help.
I don’t really enjoy any sex scenes at all, no matter who’s in them, so I’m cool with knowing this is not a show for me. We’re individuals with different tastes and identities and preferences and that’s okay as long as we practice equality and tolerance and understanding, you know?
Homophobia is unacceptable and homophobes need to have that message pounded into their skulls. Don’t you dare EVER tell an LGBT person to tolerate someone’s intolerance. Back off. Stay in your own lane.
So a gay man not wanting to see lesbian scenes because it’s not what “gets him off” is understandable, but a straight man not wanting to see gay scenes for the exact same reason is intolerant? In what world is what you’re saying logical?
So you’re just intolerant to “L” part in LGBT?
Ugh. You realise that taking such an aggressive tone doesn’t open people’s minds, they just stop listening to you…
Who are you to tell people to stay in their lanes when you seem to be just as intolerant at the guy you were telling off earlier on. He said gay sex scenes did nothing for him..and you called him a homophobe…now you say Lesbian sex scenes do nothing for you…I call that homophobia too! Fix yourself before calling out other people! You are exactly like the guy you where telling off. Your intolerance & ignorance is showing
I dont think the scenes with Topher Grace and Mary Elizabeth Winstead were animated, it was the “world” in the fridge that was animated. It was the only one of the 18 shorts to include live action footage so it is understandable that you would assume it was animation. Unless stop motion has become so lifelike that its impossible to tell it apart from live action, which wouldn’t surprise me lol
I promise you that the solid majority of sex scenes in non-pornographic material are NOT there to get you off. If you’re going at it to all of the sex scenes in regular movies and TV shows, that sounds like a YOU problem.
It makes total sense they would use data on your viewing habits to shuffle. If your viewing habits reflect your race or orientation. that is merely a byproduct.
I can’t imagine running a show and Netflix deciding to show it in some weird order that you didn’t intend.
It’s an anthology. Each episode is standalone. It doesn’t matter which order they’re viewed in. Please either watch it or do some research before commenting.
Maybe don’t be rude? Anthology or not, some creators still might want the episodes to line up in a certain order.
Who hurt you?
This gender hysteria has annoyed AF already.
My QE viewing was shuffled and confused the holy hell out of me. I got the bbq girls first.
I’m bisexual. If it really DID shuffle them it’d be in a different order every time I logged in! *Ba-dum-tsssh!*
HA. Yes…we need more of THIS kind of comments! Well done!
I watched the show and rather enjoyed all the episodes. Wouldn’t have matter what order they’d have been placed. Let’s not go overboard. It’s simply entertainment.
Well the queer eye one is definitely not true. I’m gay and often watch lesbian movies/ tv shows on netflix but the queer eye gay ep was still 5th for me.
my dad and sister’s accounts both have the lesbian ep first. clearly just people overreacting
And this is a bad thing because?
1) You are not sharing your gender, sexual preference, ethinicity with Netflix
2) You are going to share your preference for content based on your watching habits. This is your choice. Their entire success model depends on their ability to suggest content that you are going to be interested in to keep you engaged on their platform.
3) You are going to see content based on your watching habits and preferences.
4) The only reason to be horrified is if you are uncomfortable with your own preferences or someone that you share your account with learning about them. If you are closeted and don’t intend to come out before you are tired of Netflix, then don’t share your account or at the very least go to the history and delete whatever you are ashamed of other people knowing you watched. If you delete it, they don’t consider it for their algorithm. (This is a last resort, it is better to come out)
So what exactly are people complaining about if they tailoring content to suit your preferences…please do it by all means.