Netflix viewers outraged after streaming service says it will introduce ads

People have flooded to Twitter in fury over Netflix's announcement it will be introducing advertisements.

When it first began streaming in 2007, Netflix quickly became one of the most popular services for bingeing a gripping series or snuggling down on a rainy evening to spend an hour scrolling for inspiration before finally settling on a film in the comfort of knowing you won't have to sit twiddling your thumbs every 15 minutes when a tediously long advert comes on.

Alas, clearly all good things must come to an end, as the American subscription streaming service has revealed it will soon be introducing advertisements.

As to be predicted, the move has caused immense outrage amongst customers.

The introduction of adverts on Netflix isn't compulsory for all customers, the 'basic with ads' package simply being the lowest price point at £4.99 per month.

Customers can still choose to go ad-free by splashing a bit extra with the £6.99 one-screen deal or go all out and spend £10.99-a-month for high definition screenings.

Netflix's decision to implement a cheaper package including adverts is a result of the streaming service losing a whopping 200,000 subscribers because of increasing competition from other platforms as well as it having suspended service in Russia because of the conflict in Ukraine.

Netflix hopes the cheaper package could entice more subscribers and also convince existing customers to stay.

Pirotr Malczyk/ Alamy Stock Photo

Despite how Netflix's adverts are expected to last for around four minutes per hour - a lot lower than other television channels or streaming services - as well as being a cheaper deal compared to its other packages, customers are far from happy.

Subscribers have flooded to social media in disdain over the new 'basic with ads' bundle.

One Twitter user said: "I think @netflix having adds on a paid for service is wrong. It’s the lower earners that will be the ones being forced to now watch with adverts. £5 a month to watch shows with adverts still included is vile. A bad move."

"£4.99 a month for the pleasure of watching Netflix with adverts feels like an awful business decision," another wrote.

@justdaj/ Twitter

@sirstayce/ Twitter

@lavosaurus/ Twitter

A third commented: "Netflix wants to offer a package with adverts. Compound this with some shows airing weekly and we are literally right back where we started with TV…"

A final echoed: "Netflix are insane thinking people will pay basically the same price to watch with adverts. The whole point of streaming services is watching what you want without ads."

Netflix offered no further comment to LADbible.

Netflix's 'Basic with Ads' package is set to launch in 12 countries from next month.

Topics: Netflix, Social Media, TV and Film, Twitter, Viral, Technology

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.