Fandom is one of the driving forces behind digital content creation. Tumblr GIFsets promoting TV shows, four-hour YouTube essays about the Star Wars hotel, hundreds of millions of words of fanfiction, and countless views and comments on content creators’ videos (not to mention the channel subscriptions and merch purchases) are all born out of fan fervor. Platforms like YouTube have increasingly recognized how powerful fandoms can be–and now Netflix seems to be catching on, too.
For years, Netflix, like virtually all other major streaming services, hasn’t allowed people to take screenshots or screen recordings of what they’re watching. If you try to record any kind of footage from what you’re watching, you’ll get a blank black square. This prevents some piracy methods, sure, but it also hinders fans who just want to share a favorite shot or talk about a favorite clip on social media. Posts from people like that are priceless promo for Netflix, and …