On Netflix and the Way the Net Works

Dear Netflix,

I've been your customer for a few years now. For the most part, your service has only ever been worth my money and a convenient and happy part of my life. Oh sure, I sometimes have arguments over our queue with my roommate, but that's no fault of yours. And sometimes the streaming is a bit spotty, but most of the time that's my internet provider, who can be kind of sketch, and not your servers. Well, there was that one time it was you, but you fixed it and I lived without my streaming movies for the short duration. I digress. I just want this to be clear; I like your service, and I like you! You're a good company, you treat your customers well in my experience, and you've provided a service I never thought I would enjoy or need so much!

So why do you have to lie to my face, Netflix?

I just don't understand. You're an internet business, like eBay or Amazon. You were born on the web and you'll die by the web. Perhaps you've gotten a bit bloated since you've grown, and taken on one too many people who don't understand how the internet works. I can understand that; old people have all those pretty qualifications and references, and they seem like such sure business bets when it comes to making those Big Decisions That Change the Company's Future. We also haven't had a really good example yet of what happens when a company makes a decision without first thinking about how the internet works. Unfortunately, I feel you may be about to become that example.

I understand why you're raising your prices, Netflix. The real reasons your raising your prices, I mean, not the bald-faced lies you told me and your other customers. I know the companies that make your product, like Sony (I bet you don't like Sony a lot right now), are realizing that you're making a profit and they would like that profit for themselves, or at least more of yours.

I would go on more, but you know what? This is the internet. All I have to do is link you to this article. That, there? That's why you're raising your prices. Because, if you don't, you'll go under like you're in Australia.

And I support you.

No, really. I would totally, 100% get behind you raising your prices so that you can afford to keep your streaming contracts and maybe even add new ones. I would think nothing of paying to keep the great customer support and to prevent a future where I have to pay 6 or 7 different companies to get the same service you, all in one site, could provide. I don't much like the big companies you have to contract with anyway. I don't like the way they limit streaming, the way they make it hard for me to get content online in a timely fashion, and the way they're dragging their feet on presenting new business models that work with this more tech-savvy age. And, as we already established, I like you.

So why did you have to lie to me? Don't try to hide it either. This is the internet, and anyone who spends any short length of time here knows this one very simple fact about the internet: Truth will out. Sure, we netizens stole it wholesale from Shakespeare, but we do that here. Plus, it's fitting. Here, where we swim in information, where almost anything we could ever want to know is a Google search away, the truth will eventually be known. And shared. And remixed. And set into humorous captions with the Hitler from Downfall.

And, the big thing is, the worst of it really, is that your lie wasn't even very good. It was spin. We hate spin. Like pornography, we know it when we see it, and your announcement was extremely NC-17. You didn't have to do that either. You could have just linked to the same article I did and say, "We have no choice. We're sorry. We'll do our best to continue to serve you, and hope you will help us usher in a new way of doing business."

It's honest. It's open. It isn't a goddamn lie to everyone giving you money.

So say that. Apologize for the attack on our collective intelligence, fire the idiots who don't understand the internet, and detail your goals for everyone, even the people who aren't your shareholders. Because, Netflix? Truth will out. And on the internet, the truth can also damn.

Most sincerely,

Kristin

A Netflix Subscriber

EDIT: For those who haven't seen the announcement, here it is.