Netflix introduces Moments on Android to make sharing scenes easier

Streaming services are fiercly protective of their content, but they also have to recognize the era in which we live and roll with the punches. To that end, Netflix is embracing the short-form video trend that drives social media by introducing its Moments feature on Android.

Netflix re-announced Moments over the weekend on its press blog, Tudum, though the feature was already available on iOS. Moments allows you to bookmark scenes in your favorite shows or movies, either to save them for rewatching later or to share with others. It’s now globally available on both major mobile platforms, but you can only access it if you have a Netflix plan without ads.

Intuitive enough to use, you just hit the Moments button in the bottom-left corner of the screen to store the current scene in your “My Netflix” tab for easy access. Saved scenes can be shared via messaging apps like WhatsApp or directly to platforms like Instagram and Facebook. The feature aims to give users a new way to revisit key moments, whether a dramatic kiss in a classic movie or a key twist in the upcoming second season of Squid Game.

As useful as Moments may be for users, Netflix will also recognize its potential. Any sharing of its content on social media is free advertising for the streaming giant, and the more viral, the better. There’s certainly a risk of spoilers, but Netflix will hope a sneak peek of a scene will entice new customers.

It’s hard to be too cynical of Netflix’s motives. After all, anyone who’s doomscrolled recently will see that whole movies are being shared on some platforms anyway — presumably without licensing consent. If Netflix can get its content out there in one-scene bursts and with the logo visible, it will hope to be credited for it in the form of new business.