Netflix is officially stepping into live, real-time audience participation. Starting today, the platform is rolling out a live voting feature that lets subscribers interact directly with live-streamed shows. The first test at scale will happen with the premiere of Star Search on January 20.
During live broadcasts, viewers will be able to vote via multiple-choice prompts, or rate performances on a five-star scale.
Votes can be cast either with a TV remote or through the Netflix mobile app, and results are tallied in real time. Voting windows are time-limited, meaning replay viewers won’t be able to participate, reinforcing the value of watching live.
Netflix says the feature will be available globally.
Netflix quietly began testing live voting back in August 2025 with Dinner Time Live with David Chang. Netflix CTO Elizabeth Stone explained how Netflix wants members to “feel like they’re part of the story, influence the storyline, and feel immersed in that.”
In other words: from passive viewing to participatory TV.
Over the past year, Netflix has been methodically building toward this moment:
- Live formats like Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney
- Live sports, including the NFL Christmas special and WWE broadcasts
- Interactive games launched on smart TVs in October
Live voting is where these threads converge: real-time content, second-screen behavior, and audience agency all in one experience.
This isn’t just a feature update. It’s a signal. Netflix is testing what happens when live viewing becomes scarce and valuable again and engagement isn’t measured only in minutes watched, but in decisions made. Now TV will start behaving more like social platforms, without becoming one.
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