"Netflix and chill" is an Internet slang term used as a euphemism for sexual activity, either as part of a romantic partnership or as casual sex or as a groupie invitation. Since its first recorded, nonsexual use in a tweet posted in 2009, the phrase has gained popularity within the Twitter community and other social media sites like Facebook and Vine. By 2015, "Netflix and chill" had become an Internet meme and its use on teenage social media was commonly described as "sexual" by Fusion.
History
Origins
The first recorded use of the phrase "Netflix and chill" was in a Twitter post by "NoFaceNina" on January 21, 2009. It said, "I'm about to log onto Netflix and chill for the rest of the night." Early use of the phrase was without sexual connotations, referring simply to the act of watching the online streaming service, typically by oneself. By 2013, Netflix's popularity in the US had risen greatly, having accumulated millions of paid subscribers, increasing verb use of the brand and this phrase as a standalone compound noun. The euphemistic nature of the phrase is believed to have been established in mid-2014, and by the end of the year had spread throughout the African-American Black Twitter community, as seen by many now typing chill within scare quotes. In April 2015, a definition of the phrase was added to Urban Dictionary stating that it meant "code for two people going to each other's houses and or doing other sexual related acts". Soon, the term would spread beyond the Black Twitter community, becoming an Internet meme and gaining the attention of news websites such as The Guardian and the Daily Mirror.
Impact
As the phrase entered into common lexicon, events, products, and services associated with the phrase started to emerge, including acknowledgement from Netflix itself. In September 2015, a joke app in the style of Tinder had been created for users to organize "Netflix and chill" sessions. At two separate universities, students planned "Netflix and chill" festivals, with one being canceled by authorities as they believed too many people would be in attendance. During the World Maker Faire in New York, Netflix unveiled a prototype for a large button called "The Switch", which, when pressed, will dim the lights in the users' residence, activate the "Do Not Disturb" feature on their cell phones, and prepare Netflix for streaming—eliminating most distractions from their activities. This has been frequently referred to as the "Netflix and chill button". In October 2015, entrepreneur Kori Williams created and sold a line of condoms named Netflix and Chill. The condoms were approved by the FDA for use to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. In November 2015, the Netflix logo outside the company's headquarters in Los Gatos, California had been spray-painted to add the words "and chill". In December 2015Ariana Grande released the holiday EP Christmas & Chill, its title a seasonal variation on "Netflix and chill". In January 2016, artist Tom Galle and company ART404 created a "Netflix & Chill Room" in New York City for rent on Airbnb. In early February 2016, Netflix released the results of a survey on how users in relationships use their service, described as a "Netflix and chill study". The results were accompanied with a series of social media posts with the hashtag "#DatingWithNetflix" promoting the idea of a positive impact for couples using the service. In June 2016, singer-songwriter Danah released a song titled "Netflix and Chill" on SoundCloud. The track was produced by Wippy Lion, a member of Australian pop groupJustice Crew. The song is a tongue-in-cheek representation of the term's use in popular culture. In January 2020, Ben & Jerry's announced a new ice cream flavor called "Netflix & Chill'd".
