Netflix adds real-time participation features to live content. Netflix has announced the official launch of a new feature that will allow viewers to vote directly during the broadcast. This feature will first be applied through the live audition program Star Search, which will be released on January 20th.
As subscribers watch the broadcast, they can choose multiple choices or rate the performers’ performances on a five-star scale. Voting can be done using the TV remote control or the Netflix mobile app. Netflix explained that this feature works the same way around the world and that voting results are tallied in real time.
Voting is subject to time limits. After the set time has passed, additional votes will not be counted. Because of this, you will not be able to participate in voting if you are watching recorded or delayed viewing. It’s a structure designed to make the live viewing experience itself the more important factor.
Netflix has already been testing a live voting feature since August 2025 with Dinner Time Live with David Chang. Chef David Chang’s program at the time served as a testing ground for interactive possibilities. At the TechCrunch Disrupt event held in the same year, Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone predicted a full-scale expansion of the function.
Stone explained that even if you’re watching the show on TV, you can vote at the same time on your mobile phone, and that this interaction really impacts whether a contestant advances or not. He went on to say that his goal is to create a more deeply immersive experience for Netflix subscribers, where they become part of the story, influence the narrative, and more.
Netflix has recently been active in expanding live content. It featured entertainment programs such as Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney, NFL Christmas broadcasts, and WWE shows. In October, we also launched an interactive game that can be played on smart TVs. This live voting feature is interpreted as Netflix’s strategic move to combine live broadcasting and interactive experiences.
