Good news for adults who enjoy being treated like children: Netflix has invented a single button, ominously named “The Switch”, that will, if you choose to build your own, dim your lights, put your phone into “do not disturb” mode, order a takeaway and set you up for a night of viewing. The bad news: the button sounds pretty complicated – making one involves programming a microcontroller, figuring out your device’s infrared patterns and soldering together the electronics. 
 
 Even so, the internet has playfully dubbed it the “Netflix and chill” button, and its arrival represents the next stage in the life of a phrase that began as simply an innocent way of saying, “I’ve had a hard day and all I want to do this evening is put on Netflix, curl up into the foetal position and consume four straight hours of visual entertainment”, but has become an innuendo (and a meme) for hooking up. 
 
 In the innocent days of 2009, “Netflix and chill” really did mean “chilling out and watching Netflix”. It was a solo activity. There you were, sitting on your sofa, the latest season of whatever-it-is buzzing away in front of you, the “chill” part of the equation very much not a euphemism for anything at all. 
 
 The phrase has since become a 21st-century version of “Do you want to come up for some coffee?” In April, it was added to Urban Dictionary with the definition: “Code for two people going to each others houses and fucking or doing other sexual related acts.” 
 
 In 2014, when the euphemistic nature of the phrase was being established, gender lines began to form. Guys tweeted pictures of smug faces alongside captions such as, “When she says Netflix and chill”, while girls tweeted pictures of shocked, dismayed faces with captions such as, “When you find out what Netflix and chill means”. 
 
 This July, Netflix itself got in on the meme, posting a gif from the film Clueless, in which Alicia Silverstone’s character attempts to seduce a school friend while watching telly, only to tumble backwards off the bed, with the caption: “Netflix and chill? No, really”. 
 
 From there, Nicki Minaj caught on, posting a take on the meme to Instagram (503,000 likes), and the “and chill” half began being used in anything from “Lord of the Rings and chill” to “Ramen and chill”. The button, however, may be the death knell of the meme, marking the full corporate appropriation of the phrase. If that doesn’t do it, though, surely this will: across America, parents have started to figure out what it means. ||||| Recently, in teenage internet circles, the phrase “Netflix and chill” has been inescapable. 
 
 It’s a phrase that means, roughly, “hooking up.” But it’s a lot more complicated than that. “Netflix and chill” is a classic case of social media-fueled semantic drift. It began as a plain, descriptive phrase (“Can’t wait to leave work so I can watch Netflix and chill!”), and stayed that way for several years before acquiring a loose sexual connotation (“Wanna come over for Netflix and chill? ;)”) and, eventually becoming a known code phrase (“He said he loves me, but I know he just wants to Netflix and chill”). 
 
 As with most recent internet slang, “Netflix and chill” seems to have originated on Black Twitter before migrating to Instagram, Tumblr, Vine, and the outer reaches of Memeland. And in a way, it’s the perfect teenage shibboleth. If you were 16, and your parents caught you texting “Netflix and chill?” to your girlfriend, they might think you were proposing an innocent night of watching Chopped on the couch. 
 
 Let’s take a look at how “Netflix and chill” became every teen’s favorite euphemism for getting it on. 
 
 2007 
 
 Netflix begins offering a streaming video service, available for free to all subscribers. 
 
 2009 
 
 The first recorded use of “Netflix and chill” on Twitter comes from user @nofacenina: 
 
 I'm about to log onto Netflix and chill for the rest of the night. — NoFaceNina (@nofacenina) January 22, 2009 
 
 2010 
 
 The first recorded use of “Netflix & chill” (with the ampersand) on Twitter comes from user @TeviStateofMind. 
 
 bouta hop on this netflix & chill for the rest of the day! shower first tho lol — tetevi. (@TeviStateofMind) January 7, 2010 
 
 2011 
 
 Netflix attempts the biggest rebranding in its history—separating its delivery-by-mail and streaming businesses, and renaming the delivery business “Qwikster”—but the effort is a disaster. Customers revolt, the decision is quickly reversed, and the entire business reverts to simply being called “Netflix.” 
 
 Seemingly unaware of any corporate-level turmoil, people on Twitter continue to talk about “Netflix and chill.” At this point, “Netflix and chill” has no alternate, subversive meaning. It’s just a two-word pairing, or, alternately, a verb phrase that means “to watch Netflix, while chilling.” And it’s usually performed alone. “Netflix and chill,” at this point, is an introvert’s metaphor for voluntary solitude. 
 
 I think I'm about to see whats on netflix & chill until my phone gets some action or something of the sort. — chief (@_ChasingDestini) August 9, 2011 
 
 Bouta Watch Some Netflix & Chill My Body Hurt — Carlie McIntosh (@_iCarlie) July 31, 2011 
 
 https://twitter.com/_TroyYoung/status/115618222639812608 
 
 2012 
 
 People start referring to “Netflix and chill” as a compound noun that doesn’t require an antecedent verb phrase (“about to watch”) or gerund (“watching”). The phrase “Netflix and chill” still has no sexual meaning, but the noun phrase usage is clearly on the rise. 
 
 Bouta Fuck W/ Some Netflix And Chill . — RIT RIT (@iShaanTweeting) August 26, 2012 
 
 Today is a netflix & chill day i need to turn down. — sway 👓 (@bbylaylow) January 1, 2013 
 
 2013 
 
 Netflix’s streaming service begins to take off in the U.S., adding millions of members and surpassing HBO in paid subscribers. “Netflix and chill” is rising in Twitter usage, but so is the usage of other formations: “YouTube and chill,” “Hulu and chill,” and even the backwards “chill and Netflix.” 
 
 Out of work and class for the day…. 
 
 Finna chill and Netflix all evening✌ — PapiWaxx (@therealwaxx) January 30, 2013 
 
 Can't wait to get home so I can watch Hulu and chill — Bad Gal Nicki❤️ (@Nicki_Flavorzz) April 26, 2013 
 
 2014 
 
 Netflix is still growing quickly, and ends the year with 57.4 million subscribers in about 50 countries. Twitter user @DoYou_Q (24,000 followers) tweets “Netflix & chill” in its new compound form. 
 
 It's a Netflix & chill kind of night — Quincy (@BeYou_Q) January 25, 2014 
 
 Now, seeing “Netflix and chill” as a standalone phrase is fairly common, although more straightforward usage can also be spotted. 
 
 Netflix and chill. I love it — ^.^ (@dejaaaaaaaaa) January 2, 2014 
 
 Summer 2014 
 
 Dozens of Twitter users start saying “Netflix and chill” with a wink of innuendo. And a fascinating gendered watchword phenomenon develops. Teenage girls who had been asked to an innocent-sounding “Netflix and chill” session by boys, only to discover those boys’ true motives, began issuing tongue-in-cheek warnings to other girls, telling them to be careful. 
 
 Netflix and chill 👍 — CAK (@1AlannaKing) August 5, 2014 
 
 All jokes aside, im taking applications for netflix and chill nights? — Wonnniiee (@hey_wonnie) August 8, 2014 
 
 Man I need someone to watch Netflix and chill with 😔. — Cookie (@cookie07__99) August 10, 2014 
 
 October 2014 
 
 More women (and a few men) start catching on to the second, more subversive meaning of “Netflix and chill.” Scare quotes start appearing around “chill,” indicating that people know what’s really going on. 
 
 Netflix and chill never means Netflix and chill now a days lol — papi (@itsIsaaaaaaac) October 8, 2014 
 
 @DatUglyFuck fuck the zoo lights just take her home for Netflix and "chill" — lame (@ivanbiurquez) October 8, 2014 
 
 November 2014 
 
 The “starter pack” meme hits Twitter and Tumblr. And on November 17, @Start3rPack tweets the following: 
 
 The "Netflix and chill" starter pack pic.twitter.com/JaQuCtMaoq — Starter Pack (@Start3rPack) November 17, 2014 
 
 The lower-right photo is of a wrapped condom. For perhaps the first time, the implicit meaning of “Netflix and chill” has been made explicit. 
 
 January 2015 
 
 The secret is out. Winking references to “Netflix and chill” begin to appear nearly as frequently as earnest “I want to watch Netflix and chill” tweets. 
 
 when she say "we can watch netflix and chill" but you know what it really means 😉 pic.twitter.com/RRCaGIXeai — aylin (@mariesweatshirt) January 14, 2015 
 
 February 2015 
 
 As with most things popularized on Black Twitter, white people discover and eagerly jump on the “Netflix and chill” train. Popular Viner Brittany Furlan posts this Vine on Feb. 1; it racks up more than 11 million loops. 
 
 Soon after, the first Twitter “Netflix and chill” photo memes start appearing. 
 
 When u find out what netflix and chill means 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/llKcgl8RDV — Jazz ⭐ (@SoyLa_Jazz) February 2, 2015 
 
 When she says Netflix and chill pic.twitter.com/m1sJweY6LK — Mopey (@richkeiloffical) February 5, 2015 
 
 March 2015 
 
 “Netflix and chill” has achieved official catchphrase status. 
 
 Y'all guys need to come up with a new mating call, that "lets watch netflix and chill" isn't slick anymore lol — DjBitchTits (@boredterrry) March 6, 2015 
 
 https://twitter.com/middleeasternn/status/575549755008356352 
 
 “Netflix and chill” also gets its first viral GIF tweet, from user @BasedNAfrican. 
 
 When she think she was only coming over for "Netflix and chill" pic.twitter.com/IETwMDccgL — eman (@BASEDNAFRICAN) March 12, 2015 
 
 And a viral meme is born. The number of people searching Google for “Netflix and chill” starts to rise: 
 
 April 2015 
 
 “Netflix and chill” is added to Urban Dictionary, solidifying its place in the vernacular. The definition, written by user LaxBuhl7, defines “Netflix and chill” as “code for two people going to each others houses and fucking or doing other sexual related acts.” The sample usage is: 
 
 Brad: “Hey Julia wanna come over and watch Netflix and chill” 
 
 Julia: “Sure I’ll pick up the condoms” 
 
 Brad: “Wait I thought we were just gonna watch Netflix and chill?” 
 
 Julia: “Netflix and Chill means we fuck, dumbass” 
 
 May 2015 
 
 The next evolution of “Netflix and chill” arrives on Twitter—a photo/reaction macro prefaced by some variation of “20/30/40 mins into Netflix and chill.” Hundreds of these tweets appear. 
 
 20 mins into " Netflix and Chill" you gotta hit her with this look pic.twitter.com/ukdHNYKLhM — Love Dr Renaissance (@Talktodjrp) May 3, 2015 
 
 The face you gotta give her while you're 20 mins into netflix and chill pic.twitter.com/gl95Kcvo5T — Andre Lopez (@DreDre20157) April 25, 2015 
 
 https://twitter.com/jabruh/status/606572300574572544 
 
 June 2015 
 
 A “Netflix and chill” Facebook group is created. Photo memes continue to multiply. 
 
 July 2015 
 
 Netflix, the company, discovers “Netflix and chill,” the meme. This post appears on the company’s official Tumblr: 
 
 August 2015 
 
 “Netflix and chill” spreads to Tumblr, Imgur, and Instagram, where it spawns hundreds of variations. 
 
 Tumblr/ 
 
 Celebrities begin catching on; Nicki Minaj posts an Instagram photo: 
 
 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 A photo posted by Nicki Minaj (@nickiminaj) on Aug 19, 2015 at 5:16pm PDT 
 
 In late August, B.o.B. releases a song called “Netflix & Chill.” The lyrics are: 
 
 I was thinkin’ Netflix and chill, Netflix and chill/ I got drink and smoke and d–k that’s if you come through for real/ I was thinkin’ Netflix and chill, Netflix and chill/ I wake up and need it up that’s a bed and breakfast for real, oh yeah. 
 
 “Netflix and chill” spreads to other languages. Here’s a German Twitter user saying that she would never engage in “netflix und chill.” 
 
 https://twitter.com/lenasheesh/status/631910987801751552 
 
 Back in the U.S., parents begin asking their kids what “Netflix and chill” means. This almost certainly marks the beginning of the end of the meme. 
 
 my dad asked my mom if she wanted to netflix and chill…… i'm moving out — meghan (@meghan_goddard) August 26, 2015 
 
 My mom just insinuated that when boys ask me to hangout its to "netflix and chill." ?? how do you know what that means??? — Taylor Bach (@TaylorBachh) August 24, 2015 
 
 Through it all, Netflix’s stock price continues to rise. The company now has more than 65 million subscribers, and a permanent spot in the teen lexicon of 2015. ||||| Recently I started re-watching Parks and Recreation on Netflix, and about halfway through the series I noticed something strange. The thumbnail for the show had changed from a confident, glowing picture of Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope — the show's lead — to a photo of Chris Pratt in crutches. But the thumbnail hadn't changed for my colleague Helen Havlak, who pointed out to me that she was still seeing Knope's face. 
 
 I already knew Netflix constantly changed thumbnails, and I assumed it was trying to figure out which were most popular. Today, Netflix confirmed that suspicion, and explained how it A / B tests thumbnails in two blog posts. 
 
 @chillmage my Netflix thumbnail is all Knope so maybe there is sneaky demographic targeting at work — Helen Havlak (@anotherhelen) April 15, 2016 
 
 Netflix writes that the artwork on its content has the biggest influence on what people choose to watch — capturing "82 percent of their focus while browsing Netflix." Well, yeah, that seems obvious; Netflix is a giant carousel of image thumbnails! But Netflix writes that the window for getting someone's attention is pretty short: users spend an average of just under 2 seconds looking at each show or film they come across. So Netflix took these findings and decided to build a system that harnesses the judgements people are able to make in that span of time. 
 
 There's definitely some sneaky demographic targeting going on. Netflix calls differences in engagement "regional nuance," but what it's really talking about is aggregation of unconscious bias. The company found that thumbnails for Sense 8 differed in popularity between Germany, the US, the UK, and Brazil, and the difference in Netflix's examples appear to be driven at least partially by racial identity. Netflix also says it identified several other winning strategies: 
 
 Show close-ups of emotionally expressive faces 
 
 Show people villains instead of heroes 
 
 Don't show more than three characters 
 
 "Over the last few years, we have worked hard to learn how a winning combination of technology and creative helps members discover stories they will enjoy faster," Netflix writes. "It is clear that an image can move people in powerful ways." That all sounds pretty innocuous, until you realize that soon you might click on the latest Adam Sandler film before you realize it's a mistake. 
 
 Netflix's plan for world domination ||||| Soon, you might be able to Netflix and chill without WiFi. 
 
 Industry sources predict that the streaming giant may soon allow users to download content instead of streaming it. 
 
 "We know from our sources within the industry that Netflix is going to launch this product," industry insider Dan Taitz told the trade publication Light Reading. 
 
 "My expectation is that by the end of the year Netflix will be launching download-to-go as an option for their customers." 
 
 WATCH: Nine fabulous flicks to celebrate LGBT pride month 
 
 Downloading would allow users to watch Netflix content without consistent internet access. While streaming requires an internet connection, downloading stores the content so it’s accessible later. That means catching up on “Orange is the New Black” on the subway or binging on “House of Cards” during a flight. 
 
 A Netflix spokesperson told the Daily News the company wouldn’t comment directly, but added, “While we are focused on delivering a great streaming experience, we are always open to other ways to improve the service.” 
 
 That’s a far cry from the unenthusiastic response Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt gave last fall. 
 
 “I still don’t think it’s a very compelling proposition,” he told Gizmodo UK at a trade show in Berlin, just days after Amazon Prime announced its decision to allow downloading. 
 
 Brexit’s on, British TV stars are still ugly — and we love it 
 
 If rumors are true, "Orange is the New Black" fans might be able to download their favorite show. (JoJo Whilden/Netflix) 
 
 “You have to remember that you want to download this thing. It’s not going to be instant, you have to have the right storage on your device, you have to manage it, and I’m just not sure people are actually that compelled to do that, and that it’s worth providing that level of complexity,” Hunt said. 
 
 But the company started singing a different tune this year. 
 
 "We should keep an open mind on all this,” CEO Reed Hastings said on an earnings call in April, according to TechInsider. 
 
 “As we expand around the world where we see an uneven set of networks, it's something we should keep an open mind about." 
 
 Even if Netflix moves forward with a downloading option, there will likely be significant limitations just as with Amazon. 
 
 As of now, Jeff Bezos’ company only allows users a 48-hour window to watch after hitting play, and there are limits on both the number of titles that can be downloaded at one time and the number of devices they can be on. 
 
 Netflix has not offered any hints as to what restrictions it might impose. ||||| LOS ANGELES (November 14, 2017) - In a world with 2.4 billion smartphone (1) users, mobile viewing is on the rise and “binge-free zones” are a thing of the past. But as millions of people take full advantage of Netflix to stream and download anytime and anywhere, private binge behaviors are now on public display. 
 
 So why are 67% of people globally willing to expose their entertainment emotions to watch outside their homes? Because public bingers rank having access to movies or shows higher than food and water as “essential” items for travelling or commuting (2). Just be prepared that streaming Stranger Things while surrounded by strangers is making social norms go upside down. And catching someone snooping on your screen during a risque scene or LOL’ing on a crowded train is the new normal. 
 
 We’re Being Watched While We’re Watching 
 
 Nearly half (45%) of those watching on the go have caught a backseat binger snooping on their screen. But there’s no reason to call Chief Hopper - only 18% of public bingers have felt embarrassed about what they’re watching and 77% refuse to turn off their show or movie. There’s no shame in our stream game. 
 
 We’re Spoiling Shows for Screen Snoopers (Sorry!) 
 
 Screen snooping can have real consequences! Eleven percent of public bingers have had a show or movie spoiled by seeing someone else’s screen. The risk is even greater if you plan to sneak a peak in South Korea where 24% have suffered from spoilers. 
 
 We’re Being Interrupted By Strangers 
 
 More than a quarter (27%) of public bingers have had a stranger interrupt their show or movie to start a conversation about what they’re watching. But that doesn’t mean we have to pull a Kingpin. Episode intruders are likely just jealous we remembered to download our shows before leaving the house. 
 
 We Wear Our Shows On Our Sleeves 
 
 No matter how meticulously we curate our lives on social media, there’s no filter for laughter or tears in real life. The majority of public bingers have laughed out loud and one in five have even cried while watching in public. Globally, Mexico, Colombia and Chile are the most outwardly emotional countries. Conversely, it’s unlikely to see a German bawling while they binge. 
 
 Ultimately, a spoiled show or a steamy scene streamed with a stranger is worth the awkwardness if it means we get to keep watching what we love. So next time you’re packing your bags, don’t forget to pack your favorite binge, too. 
 
 Methodology 
 
 *The survey was conducted by SurveyMonkey from August 24 - September 7, 2017 and based on 37,056 responses. The sample was balanced by age and gender and representative of an adult online population who watch movies and TV shows via streaming services in public settings in The United States, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey. 
 
 (1) An estimated 2.4bn people will use a smartphone this year, an increase of 10.8 per cent, according to eMarketer’s latest forecast. 
 
 (2) When asked to rank travel or commuting “essentials” public bingers globally listed “access to movies and tv shows” higher than food and beverages. (30% versus 25% and 23%, respectively). 
 
 ABOUT NETFLIX 
 
 Netflix is the world's leading internet entertainment service with over 109 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. 
 
 ### ||||| While you're mindlessly scrolling through Netflix to find a movie that fits your mood, the company is watching you. 
 
 Netflix explained its new viewer-engagement project on its blog, describing its focus on how users interact with the cover art for movies and TV shows. 
 
 For this round of A/B testing, Netflix tried to figure out what viewers were looking for in a movie or TV series by offering different cover art. If you're a Netflix subscriber, you might have noticed that the thumbnails for popular or trending titles often change. Netflix wants to get your attention quickly—specifically, in under 90 seconds. 
 
 "Through various studies," Netflix's Gopal Krishnan wrote, "we found that our members look at the artwork first and then decide whether to look at additional details. Knowing that, we asked ourselves if we could improve the click-through rate for that first glance?" 
 
 The company tracked which cover photo for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt got the most engagement. The "winning" image, marked with a green arrow, reveals that "faces with complex emotions outperform stoic or benign expressions—seeing a range of emotions actually compels people to watch a story more." 
 
 Engineers also explored how viewers engaged with cover art across different regions using its original series Sense 8 
 
 "Examining regional differences helped us see that while great stories transcend borders, it is important to understand how presenting each story in different regions impacts how quickly members from around the world actually discover that story through artwork," Krishnan wrote. 
 
 Other findings include the fact that showing villains in artwork drives more engagement and that having ensemble casts on the cover art, like season 1 of Orange Is the New Black , is less engaging than just featuring one cast member. 
 
 While Netflix labels some of the findings "regional nuances," one can't help but wonder if "region" is just one component. 
 
 The Verge's T.C. Sottek saw a new thumbnail of Chris Pratt for the cover of Parks and Recreation, while his female colleague still saw Amy Poehler. When I opened Netflix this morning, the art for season 2 of Grace and Frankie showed four cast members and faces with a range of complex emotions, so this experiment is obviously still in progress. 
 
 Netflix also showed me the White Guy Parade, which made me close the tab in less than 15 seconds. What can the company do about that?
– Hey, do you want to come over, watch some Netflix and chill? For those of you not in the know, "Netflix and chill" is today's euphemism for hooking up, the Guardian reports. (And if you weren't previously in the know, you are not the only one.) Originally (think 2009), the phrase really did mean exactly what it sounds like: People used it to describe their lazy, solo, binge-watching evenings. Somehow, though, those three little words have morphed to the point that Urban Dictionary's definition is: "It means that you are going to go over to your partners house and f--- with Netflix in the background." Netflix is apparently in on the joke, having recently unveiled hilariously complex instructions to create a device it calls "The Switch," which "dims the lights, silences incoming calls, orders takeout, and turns on Netflix" with just one press of a button. (The Internet is calling it "the Netflix and chill button," the Guardian notes.) The company also tweeted a gif this summer that jokingly incorporated the phrase. This summer, Fusion put together a timeline of the phrase's history, from its apparent first use on Twitter in 2009 ("I'm about to log onto Netflix and chill for the rest of the night") to other, similar phrases ("Hulu and chill") to, finally, the phrase's new meaning in 2014 ("Netflix and chill never means Netflix and chill now a days lol") and its current-day "catchphrase" status.