Data-Driven Entertainment: How Algorithms Shape Viewing Preferences on Netflix Indonesia

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-622-2_4How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Netflix; Algorithmic Culture; OTT Platform; Exploratory Data Analysis; Audience Preferences

Abstract

This study examines how algorithmic recommendation systems shape audience viewing preferences on Netflix Indonesia within the broader context of data-driven entertainment and platform culture. Using Big Data Analytics approach with Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA), this research analyzes Netflix datasets obtained from Kaggle to identify patterns in content visibility, genre dominance, rating distribution, local content representation, and audience retention strategies. The findings reveal that Netflix’s algorithmic system does not operate neutrally but prioritizes emotionally engaging genres such as dramas, romantic movies, and international movies to maximize user engagement and attention retention. The analysis also shows that content ratings are heavily dominated by TV-14, TV-PG, and TV-MA categories, indicating a strategic focus on adolescent and young adult audiences with high digital media consumption intensity. Furthermore, local Indonesian content tends to reproduce repetitive emotional themes such as love, friendship, family, and personal struggle, demonstrating how global OTT platforms repackage local culture into platform-friendly narratives compatible with transnational algorithmic logic. From a communication perspective, the study confirms that Netflix functions not merely as a content distributor but as a cultural institution that actively shapes audience preferences, emotional experiences, and symbolic meanings through algorithmic curation. This research contributes theoretically to discussions on algorithmic culture, algorithmic gatekeeping, and platformization while also demonstrating the methodological relevance of EDA in digital communication studies. The study concludes that OTT algorithms increasingly influence cultural consumption patterns and contribute to the homogenization of digital media experiences in contemporary society.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Assyari Abdullah
AU  - Dwi Sutri Astuti
AU  - Muhammad Raqib Mohd Sofian
AU  - Sumaiyah Sumaiyah
AU  - Mustafa Mustafa
AU  - Jayus Jayus
AU  - Ardison Ardison
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
TI  - Data-Driven Entertainment: How Algorithms Shape Viewing Preferences on Netflix Indonesia
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Communication, Digital Ecosystem, and Society (ICODES 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 39
EP  - 65
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-622-2_4
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-622-2_4
ID  - Abdullah2026
ER  -