One requested feature that some of the major streamers use is a Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down button. Incorporating such a feature allows for users to take streaming into their own hands. For example, if you’ve decided that you wanted to watch a National Geographic documentary about an African animal and you were blown away by how the piece of content was filmed, you’d be able to click that like button. By clicking the “thumbs up” button, a signal is sent to the mainframe and the Walt Disney Company would become notified that you were fond of what you watched.
The same idea could be shown with a “Thumbs Down” button. You may have sat down and decided to turn on a Pixar flick. The only problem was that you were not a fan of what you watched after or during your viewing. By clicking the “Thumbs Down” button, you’ll be able to notify the Walt Disney Company team that they should use their resources in another way.
Clicking the “Thumbs Down” button should not lead to your assumption that they’ll stop making that style of content. The algorithm is calculated based on mass numbers. Meaning that if you and your friend were disappointed with the content you watched and you both clicked dislike on different Disney+ accounts, that would indicate a larger number of viewers didn’t think as fondly of the content as individuals hoped it would.
Netflix has had this feature for a very long time, however in Netflix’s case they claim the dislike button is only for personal algorithm alterations and that it has no bearing on their renewal or cancellation of shows. Of course, what they say isn’t necessarily the truth.
Either way, this feature would allow for Disney to understand the type of content viewers want to watch and provide a more overall picture for the service.
Gregory Bertrand is a film and television enthusiast. His degree in Early Childhood Education is from Saint Cloud State University and he’s currently teaching in a school. When he isn’t shaping young minds, he spends his time researching, analyzing, and documenting Walt Disney contractual obligations while streaming a slew of old and original content.
