With the rise in popularity of video-based social media and other tech-related distractions, using subtitles has become a way for users to follow their favourite TV shows and films without paying complete attention to the big screen. But, the data revealed some surprising correlations.

Here we dissect the findings of the Ideal Insight survey to find out what’s causing the surge in subtitle use and why.

66% of people use subtitles to better understand the storyline.

With the rise in popularity of dopamine-fuelled social media platforms like TikTok, younger users may struggle to hear the TV. Subtitles prevent this from happening, allowing the show to become ‘easier to follow.

40% of people said using captions helps them improve their concentration.

This is more common in younger audiences and those exposed to taking in lots of information in short periods.

Married women use subtitles more than any other demographic.

Married couples have settled down, so they’re more likely to snuggle up on the sofa and pop Netflix on. As a result, our survey revealed married women (34%) more frequently opt for the subtitle button compared to any other relationship status.

85% of Netflix users opt for captions, with Amazon Prime and Disney+ customers quite far behind.

Alongside Netflix, Amazon Prime (54%) and Disney+ (37%) were the top two services for subtitle use. All three streaming services offer a wide range of content for viewers of all demographics. Because of the sheer amount of viewers watching the different content available, increased subtitle use is inevitable.