If you've ever binge-watched a show with a significant other, you know the importance of not skipping ahead without them. But apparently, many of us still do it, as Netflix found that 46% of streaming couples worldwide engage in this morning of TV "cheating."
According to the study,, nearly half of streaming couples have watched a TV show ahead of their significant other. Over the past four years since Netflix first discovered this phenomenon in 2013, the "cheating" has increased three times. Sixty per cent of Netflix consumers say they'd cheat more if they knew they could get away with it. And it seems Netflix cheating is addictive, as 81% say they are repeat offenders, and 44% have cheated three or more times.
While the trend is happening worldwide, it's quite prevalent in Canada, with 37% of Canadian couples streaming behind each other's backs. But the most cheaters are are found in Brazil and Mexico where 57% and 58% of streaming couples have cheated, respectively. The most loyal viewers are in Netherlands (73% have not cheated), Germany (65%) and Poland (60%).
The top cheating shows in Canada are The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black, Grey's Anatomy, Bates Motel, Stranger Things, Gilmore Girls, House of Cards, Narcos and The 100.
Two-thirds (66%) of Canadians say they stream cheat because "the shows are just so good, we can't stop bingeing," while 76% say it was unplanned. Eighteen per cent of couples have gotten into an argument about watching ahead. Typically, the cheating happens for 25% of people around the world when one partner falls asleep. Other times cheating occurs is when one person is on a business trip (28%) and when one person is at work (24%).
More than half (53%) of the respondents say "sleep cheating" doesn't count, but the morality of "sleep cheating" varies across the globe. Chileans think it's no big deal, Japan sees it as unforgivable, and most Canadians (61%) say sleep cheating isn't cheating at all. But on the other side, 7% of streaming couples think watching ahead is worse than having an "actual" affair. Hong Kong is even less forgiving, where 40% feel watching ahead of your partner is worse than infidelity.
The survey was conducted by SurveyMonkey from December 20-31, 2016 and based on 30,267 responses. The sample was balanced by age and gender and representative of an adult online population who watch TV shows via streaming services as a couple in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, India, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, UAE, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, and Denmark.