Netflix password-sharing

The film and TV platform accidentally posted its plans to crack down on users sharing logins. It estimates there are about 100 million households streaming ...

(ticker: NFLX) has made it clear it needs to address password sharing across multiple households. ](https://www.barrons.com/market-data/stocks/nflx) [

Netflix is preparing to execute its long-standing plans to crack down on the practice of password-sharing, a concept that entails a single person sharing ...

Most relevant, though, is the quick demise of Qwikster, a service that was meant to be the new home for Netflix DVD rentals back in 2011. This plan to split Netflix into companies (one focused on streaming and the other concentrated on physical media) went so badly that the entire concept was abandoned. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Netflix drives some consumers to other streamers if they embrace this approach to password sharing since one of the biggest problems with this tactic is just how restrictive it is to consumers. Netflix’s gung-ho attitude toward cracking down on password sharing is especially strange given how it doesn’t appear to be much of a concern for other streamers. That’s a demographic that will be way less inclined to watch Netflix once this crackdown on password sharing is in effect. The streamer has said it has a process where it will send out codes to people who want to access their accounts, but the phrasing makes this seem like it’d be a one-time deal for access to one’s own account.

With details of Netflix's new password sharing family plan emerging, so do questions about whether it will see subscriber gains and how the changes could ...

If Netflix sees subscriber losses, undoubtedly others will step in with special offers to try to woo these defectors—or they may even voice their approval of password sharing to set up a direct dichotomy. [has been a success](https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonifitzgerald/2023/01/19/netflix-earnings-takeaway-new-ad-supported-tier-is-a-major-hit/?sh=51976fea220f), though Netflix had been coy about its expectations. Netflix knows that it has interested and invested consumers who still want its content but don’t want to pay full price. It subsequently told Wall Street that it would no longer be using subscriptions as a primary metric for success, rather focusing on revenue—potentially a preemptive move in light of the potential password crackdown subscriber drain. It’s possible that the password crackdown could lead to big declines in subscribers at a delicate time for Netflix. They will also be required to watch something once a month from home Wi-Fi to log a consistent home address, allowing Netflix to track where the passwords are being used.

Sometime between now and April Fools' Day, Netflix will begin rolling out fees for sharing an account beyond a single household. (No joke.)

If the service detected streaming at any additional households for more than two weeks, it would prompt the account to set up -- and pay for -- additional "homes," with a limit on how many additional homes you can add depending on how much you're already paying for Netflix. In the tests, Netflix hasn't offered an option for these "extra member" fees on its Basic plans, which now are available in some countries as two options: a pricier Basic account that's ad-free and a cheaper "Basic with ads." ["love is sharing a password"](https://twitter.com/netflix/status/840276073040371712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E840276073040371712%7Ctwgr%5Eb4cf324c31445c0f8ef487b2e415828cdff531f1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2FaES55tq%3F_showcaption%3Dtrueapp%3D1) once.) But Netflix previously characterized a system that detects an account household by looking at IP addresses, device IDs and account activity from devices logged in to the same account. This new account can then be added to somebody else's Standard or Premium subscription plan as an extra member (for a fee), or it can sign up for its own membership (which, of course, also requires payment). ) But the main account holder will be the person paying for both the regular subscription and the new subaccount's fee, if Netflix sticks to the policies set down for the test countries. If devices connect to Netflix on this primary location's Wi-Fi, they are considered "trusted devices" for 31 days. "But we'll really see that happen over the next couple of quarters." But the fee system has already been implemented in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru as a test. Instead it will start in a selection of places and widen from there. We'll stagger that a bit as we work through sets of countries," Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said last month, referring to the first quarter of 2023. In addition to the password-sharing fees, Netflix has also launched This flood of streaming options has complicated how many services you must use (and, often, pay for) to watch your favorite shows and movies online.