• by Sean Hargrave , Staff Writer, September 3, 2014

Well done, Netflix, for realising that less often really can mean more. By cleaning up their act on Facebook and asking subscribers to actively pick with whom they share what they have been watching, they have taken a huge step in the right direction.

For all us Facebook users who constantly have to wade through invites to play some farming game or "Candy Crush" and who really don't give a you-know-what which level you're at in the game or if you've received more lives for whatever reason, a hearty thank you. Sorry, guys, if you're playing and you think this stuff is interesting -- but honestly, it really isn't.

It's spam -- and worst of all -- like the best spam bots, it's spam that senders often don't realise they're churning out. 

Not sure, but Spotify might have made a similar move. My friend's activity box used to be a constant stream of updates on what they were listening to when the truth of the matter is, if I want music recommendations, I normally just ask.

Again, the trouble with a very useful app or Web site allowing subscribers to log in with their Facebook account is that awful disclaimer right at the start people soon forget about -- basically, we've got access to all your friends and we're going to make them sick and tired of finding out about every article you read, and every song you stream or show you watch. 

The point is, of course, that people generally take little note of these constantly refreshed updates, but if a friend takes the time to enthuse over House of Cards or shares the Guardian's take on Cee Lo Green's dubious views on rape, then social media subscribers will take much more notice. 

Brands -- particularly technology-driven brands-- have often got it wrong. In the battle to get into our social circles they've blasted our feeds in the background, and the result is that people have developed the social equivalent of "banner blindness."

So Netflix has seen the light, and hopefully others will follow suit. Get people talking about you for the right reasons -- don't graffiti their feed.

Now, if someone could just turn their attention to pictures with amateur psychology cliches and other pearls of "wisdom" scribbled on them, I'm sure we'd all be much the happier.