It is doing a very specific job, and a study published in 2025 measured exactly how well it works. Three interface features that drive user engagement by nudging users to continue watching are recommendations, autopreview, and autoplay. These features are widely implemented across major video streaming platforms including Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and Hulu. A color wipe across the Next Episode button operates as a visual countdown timer for when the next episode will automatically begin. It suggests that informed viewers do make different choices, they just rarely get the information in the first place.