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How Netflix Got Me To Watch Ace Ventura — the 4th Time?
How streaming apps track each of your clicks, and suggest content. What that tells about you and how you could use it to predict your future.
“Boring”, I thought to myself going through spreadsheets of my Netflix data. Then I found a file called “Clickstream” and that Netflix tracks every click I’ve ever made.
How did you come to like that sitcom you watched for four seasons, over 40 episodes? How about that documentary on life in the oceans? Was it your choice, or was it a choice severely aided by suggestions and placement by an intelligent engine?
You can download your Netflix data by going to your “Account” in the top right menu when signed into Netflix and navigating to “Download Your Personal Information.” The great news is its prominent, easy to find. The bad news? Well, I got my data on June 14 (see below) after my request on May 17th.
While this is perfectly within the current statute for data requests, it is a long time for a data geek to wait for an archive of files to play with.