"Netflix Uses Pirate Sites to Determine What Shows to Buy"

[TopWargamer]

http://torrentfreak.com/netflix-uses-pirate-sites-to-determine-what-shows-to-buy-130914/

 

This week Netflix rolled out its video streaming service in the Netherlands where it hopes to build a massive user base in the years to come. One of the keys to achieve this goal is getting the rights to the most popular movies and TV-shows, and this is where pirate sites come in. Netflix Vice President of Content Acquisition Kelly Merryman says that popularity on file-sharing platforms determines in part what TV-series the company buys.

 

Personally I don't see a big deal with this. Netflix does have a point, and they're just trying to draw more people into using their services. What are your thoughts on this? 

[Assassin]

I am okay with it. 

[Henry]

Well it makes complete sense. Whoever is coming up with all these ideas at Netflix, u deserve a raise.

 

BUT WHERE TEH HELL IS BIG BANG THEORY FOR STREAMING!?

[TheRetiredSlave]

I don't really see any issues with this.. Companies are allowed to look at whatever data they want to as long as they get the data in a legal way. If netflix was running a pirate site in order to gain that data, that would be wrong, but I don't see anything wrong with them looking at what has popularity on pirate sites to determine what consumers want..

[qwertywarrior]

I don't really see any issues with this.. Companies are allowed to look at whatever data they want to as long as they get the data in a legal way. If netflix was running a pirate site in order to gain that data, that would be wrong, but I don't see anything wrong with them looking at what has popularity on pirate sites to determine what consumers want..

hmm

most sites dont show the number of total downloads just seeders

i recall companies download the magnet file and track the number of IPs  to get how many people downloaded it

[Maskot]

This is genius.

[Langdon]

That's actually really smart. Good job, Netflix.

[Ethnod]

LOL Netflix are just actually very smart. They seem to be one of the most plugged in and well informed entertainment providers I have yet to come across

 

Well done Netflix, you have well impressed me over the years. Much love

[criso8]

Thats why netflix is great. They don't have idiots making decisions for them.

[dyent10]

get dexter.

[wpirobotbuilder]

This is pretty smart of them. It's also a good solution to the problem of piracy, where you take shows and offer them up for a relatively cheap subscription.

[Lays]

I believe razethew0rld talked about pirating a while back, said 90% of piracy is a distribution problem, if netflix figures out how to fix this, (which I believe they're already doing a great service to the people) then I think they should be able to make:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIRJlFAxfG8

[Kamil]

Well, there are two possibilities:

 

1) Netflix is using this to find out what's popular.

2) Netflix is using this to avoid shows that have definitive evidence that people will not pay to watch them.

 

I don't know about you guys, but I think that Netflix buys shows if they expect that a lot of people would get a subscription specifically to watch that particular show. Shows that are widely pirated... Well, people are already not paying to watch that show. I may be missing some key element, and I don't think it's wrong either way, but if I were Netflix I wouldn't buy shows that get pirated.

[JORDANonPC]

Well, there are two possibilities:

 

1) Netflix is using this to find out what's popular.

2) Netflix is using this to avoid shows that have definitive evidence that people will not pay to watch them.

 

I don't know about you guys, but I think that Netflix buys shows if they expect that a lot of people would get a subscription specifically to watch that particular show. Shows that are widely pirated... Well, people are already not paying to watch that show. I may be missing some key element, and I don't think it's wrong either way, but if I were Netflix I wouldn't buy shows that get pirated.

Pirating is more of a distribution problem than anything for example if a show isn't already on netflix or it isn't up to date I will go find a pirating website that has it but if netflix were to have the shows I like I would happily sign up to it since it's very reasonable. Then again piracy isn't always a distribution problem since it's easy to buy games on steam yet so many people pirate and the only reason I can think of to pirate a game is to see if you want it and then pay for it if you do and just delete it if you don't

 

Went off topic towards the end but in short netflix are doing this to see what consumers want easy access to not to find what shows are pirated more because people will be willing to pay for these as long as they get them the same time as they could on another website