A new kind of cheating is on the rise and more than half of us are guilty of doing it.
Turns out another betrayal to your relationship is known as “Netflix cheating”, which is when a couple agrees to watch a show together, but one watches it ahead of the other. For some couples, this is an unspoken rule and for others, it’s a verbal oath practically written in blood. But how common is it for us to break this rule?
A Global Phenomenon
Netflix commissioned a study conducted by SurveyMonkey using data from 30,267 respondents. The study found that 48% of couples in the United States include at least one partner who has “cheated” on the other. Of these cheaters, 44% said they have done it three or more times, 80% claimed the cheating was unplanned, 60% said they’d do it more often if they knew they wouldn’t get caught, and 45% never confess to their transgressions.
These staggering numbers make the US the fifth biggest cheaters in the world. The worst culprits are Mexico with 58% and Brazil with 57% unfaithful streamers. The most loyal streamers reside in the Netherlands, with 73% of respondents claiming to have never cheated. Netflix cheating is three times more common around the world than it was in 2013 and it’s showing no signs of stopping.
The Irresistible Temptresses
The shows that are among the most tempting for offenders are The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, American Horror Story, House of Cards, Orange Is The New Black, Narcos, and Stranger Things.
I must admit, I fell victim to Stranger Things. The first season was amazing so I had been anxiously awaiting new episodes. Don’t judge me, we all wanted justice for Barb! As the October 27th premiere date drew closer, I grew more and more excited. My boyfriend and I watched the first season together and planned to watch the second one together as well. But then it happened. I gave into temptation and binge-watched all 9 episodes in two days without him. After I admitted this to him, I felt like an actual cheater, because he was pretty offended by it.
While many of us don’t take this kind of cheating very seriously, 40% of those polled in Hong Kong said they believed that watching ahead of your partner is worse than having an actual affair. Now that seems a bit extreme, but your partner may see it as yet another betrayal that negatively affects the trust in your relationship.
Calling All Serial Cheaters
If putting down that remote seems impossible, Cornetto’s Commitment Rings may be a solution for you. These gadgets allow you and your partner to use a mobile app to pick the shows you want to watch together. The rings are linked to a video streaming service account for six months that can only be activated when the rings are close together. Otherwise, your shows are blocked and you’re out of luck. Hey, whatever works I guess.
Are you guilty of Netflix cheating?
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