30% of French people think it's important to follow popular TV series to socialize

As the second part of Squid Game season 2 prepares to invade screens, many users are reactivating a Netflix subscription "just so they don't miss out". Behind this cultural craze, a more nuanced reality is emerging: digital platforms are no longer simply chosen, they are sometimes maintained by automatism or social pressure. With good reason, 30% of French people believe that following popular series is important for maintaining social ties. Here's how it works, according to a survey conducted by Spliiit*.

Subscribe to stay on trend

Most users don't subscribe just for the content. The study reveals that more than one in ten French people have already activated a subscription simply so as not to feel out of step with their peers. Following popular series sometimes becomes an implicit obligation. Nearly 27% of respondents believe it's important to watch what everyone else is watching, to stay socially connected.

Netflix embodies this logic perfectly. Nearly 66% of respondents claim to be Netflix subscribers, making it by far the most popular platform. It is also perceived as the must-have platform by half of all respondents.

Subscriptions that take their toll

Subscribe, keep, forget... then feel guilty. Nearly 26% of young people aged 18 to 24 admit to having kept a subscription they no longer use, simply out of fashion. This figure falls to 17% for all ages combined, but confirms a clear trend. Digital consumption is becoming affective, even contradictory.

Social influence, amplified in younger age groups

Among 18-24 year-olds, 44% acknowledge that their subscription decisions are based on recommendations from friends and family, sponsored content or social networks. This generation, though reputedly autonomous and connected, finds itself at the heart of permanent mechanisms of influence. A series seen on TikTok, an opinion slipped into a conversation, or a targeted advertisement can trigger a very strong desire to subscribe.

While subscriptions were once thought of as simple, practical solutions, they have become the reflection of far more complex mechanisms. They respond to a desire to belong, to constant recommendations and social comparisons, but also to the fear of missing out on opportunities.

Fragmented and sometimes ill-adjusted expenditure

On average, respondents say they spend almost €22 a month on subscriptions, with wide variations depending on profile. For many, this budget combines several platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, YouTube Premium, Canal+, and sometimes even Canva, Microsoft 365 or Crunchyroll. Some platforms feature prominently in spontaneous rankings of the most used, even though they are not actively consumed. Cancelling then becomes a dilemma, between saving money and the fear of regret. Netflix is seen as essential by 50% of respondents, followed by Spotify at 17% and YouTube Premium at 12%.

"What's clear is that subscriptions are no longer just about usage. There's a real social dimension, sometimes even an emotional one. Netflix is seen as essential by 49.7% of respondents, followed by Spotify at 17.2% and YouTube Premium at 12%. Yet a significant proportion of users are beginning to take a step back, with 14% believing that no platform really deserves this status. Between the desire to be part of the group and the need to regain control over one's consumption, this perfectly underlines the current ambivalence," explains Jonathan Lalinec, co-founder of Spliiit.

About Spliiit

Spliiit has revolutionized the way consumers manage their digital subscriptions with the launch in 2019 of a platform for putting people in touch with each other. Today, Spliiit is the European leader in this co-subscription market and is constantly innovating to secure transactions. Every day, Spliiit works to make digital subscriptions legally accessible to as many people as possible. Millions in savings have already been made by the first customers. Beyond savings, Spliiit provides publishers with a solution against piracy. Spliiit's ambition is to expand throughout Europe over the next 3 years.