Netflix Officially Ends Password Sharing
Netflix has officially ended password sharing for US-based customers after years of deliberation.
The media giant said in a press release that “A Netflix account is for use by one household”, noting that account holders can still use Netflix wherever they are.
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Netflix has teased eliminating password sharing for years now, noting a loss of customer base due to numerous users accessing one account.
Subscribers likely received an email from Netflix stating the new options for viewing at home and on the go.
As you can see, the strict crackdown leaves a couple of options for users who are sharing an account not located within the home of the account owner.
1. Transfer a profile to a new membership which must be paid for separately.
2. Continue sharing your Netflix account with someone outside of your home for an additional $7.99/month.
Both of these are likely unsatisfactory for thousands of subscribers who share their accounts with friends and family members.
Currently, it seems there is no way to avoid this crackdown as Netflix will prompt you to select your home location upon launching the app.
If you are traveling, you’ll have to establish your streaming device or TV as the paying member of your Netflix account.
It is unclear exactly how all of this is going to work as many Netflix users access the platform when traveling for business or pleasure.
Within the Help Center on the Official Netflix Website, the company claims the following for determining devices within a Netflix Household:
We use information such as IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity to determine whether a device signed into your account is part of your Netflix Household.
We do not collect GPS data to try to determine the precise physical location of your devices.
We first saw Netflix introduce its efforts to eliminate password sharing in areas such as Canada, Spain, New Zealand, and Portugal.
This was ultimately not received well as Netflix reportedly lost 1 million users in Spain in the first quarter of 2023.
It will be interesting to see how this major change is received among US subscribers who are continually moving away from paid streaming services.
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