Methods and systems for performing playback operations based on the length of time a user is outside a viewing area

A system for automatically performing playback operations on media assets, the system comprising:

• storage circuitry configured to store instructions for a playback operation that may be performed on a media asset;
• and
• control circuitry configured to:
• generate for display a media asset on a display device, wherein the display device is associated with a viewing area comprising a first plurality of users at a first point in time;
• compute a first amount representing how many users of the first plurality of users at the first point in time, greater than one, are within the viewing area when the media asset is generated for display;
• detect that a first group of users of the first plurality of users at the first point in time in the viewing area has left the viewing area;
• detect that a second group of users of the first plurality of users at the first point in time in the viewing area has not left the viewing area;
• in response to detecting that the first group of users has left the viewing area, compute a second amount representing how many users, greater than one, are within the viewing area comprising a second plurality of users at a second point in time, later than the first point in time, when the media asset is generated for display;
• determine whether the second amount comprises a majority of the first amount;
• and
• in response to determining that the second amount does not comprise a majority of the first amount, select one of a plurality of playback operations to perform on the media asset.