Netflix Cracks Down on Password Sharing: May halt it!
By Tech Tudum
Netflix plans to block subscribers from sharing their account passwords with people outside of their household in the coming months
The streaming giant first hinted at plans to restrict Netflix password-sharing between households last spring
Netflix piloted a paid-version of account sharing in Latin American countries, where subscribers could add a “sub-account” for an additional $3 a month
Now, it plans to roll out paid sharing “more broadly later in Q1,” which ends on March 31st
Netflix expects some cancelations as a result, but expects improved overall revenue as households activate their own standalone accounts
Netflix currently allows multiple customized profiles to be created under a single account, but the profiles are intended to be used by members
Netflix uses IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity to detect devices within a household and sometimes asks users to verify a device if it is frequently used outside the household
The announcement of paid sharing’s expansion also comes one year after Netflix raised its prices and rolled out a $6.99 monthly subscription for a version of the service with advertisements in Novmber.