Netflix wants you to pay ridiculously more money for password sharing, starting with the US
Netflix is now defining the meaning of "households" and "families" in the US with its password-sharing policy. The streaming giant is expanding the password-sharing rules to the US, its biggest market. The streaming platform will no longer allow users to share their passwords with those who do not physically live with them.
If users want to share their passwords with someone who doesn't live with them, they have to pay an additional $7.99 (Rs 662) per month per member. The member cost is $2 less than what the basic Netflix plan costs.
The password-sharing rules are also being rolled out in 103 countries including the UK, France, Germany, Australia, Singapore, Mexico and Brazil.
What is a household according to Netflix?
- Netflix had tested the password-sharing restrictions in Latin American countries where the feature was only applicable to primary login with a TV.
- All other devices are connected to the TV and members can watch content on the go. However, if a user wants to use Netflix on another TV set, say in a different location, or at a hotel, they will have to verify the same.
- The extra members are those who will have their own passwords and profiles but are paid for by the primary user who invited them to join their account.
- Extra member profiles will not be able to use multiple devices, create extra profiles, or log in with a kid's profile. They can also only be activated in the same country.
- If an extra member wants to buy their own primary account, they can also "transfer" their profiles to their new account without losing watch history and recommendations.
If this complex idea to make users pay for every extra user sounds bizarre, then you should know what Netflix Honduras once said in its FAQs. Netflix was making primary users log in from their home location via the home Wi-Fi every 31 days.
Netflix, which had said in 2017, "Love is sharing a password," is trying everything to crack down on password sharing.
In 2022, Netflix was testing various ways to make people pay for their individual accounts and profiles after its subscriber growth started falling.
However, their plan doesn't seem to be foolproof as many users are reporting being locked out of their accounts, and profiles and even not being allowed to make new accounts with their existing email ID due to glitches.