After trial runs in international markets, Netflix’s plan to curb password-sharing is arriving stateside. The Verge reported the streamer revealed its strategy allowing subscribers to share their accounts with users outside of their households. But unlike sharing for free in years past, additional users of one’s account will have to pay for access.
According to The Verge, each of Netflix’s subscription plans will allow a certain number of extra users at an additional $7.99 every month. Users who utilize the Netflix Standard plan at $15.49 will have the option of granting one person outside of their household service. Those who pay for Netflix Premium at nearly $20 a month will have the option of adding two people for $7.99 each a month. Users who have the Basic or Standard plans will not have the option to add outside members.
According to The Verge, Netflix has defined household as where an account holder views Netflix on a TV. The device then uses an IP address that signals one’s location, which can be reset by the app on the device via a link sent to the account holder’s email address or phone number. If a user opts to add an extra member, that individual will have their own password to log in. But there are restrictions on the extra member’s usage: they must activate the account in the same country as the account holder; they are constrained to viewing or downloading content on one device at a time; and, they are not allowed to access a Kid’s profile or add additional profiles. Full details are available via Netflix’s website.
Plans to minimize password-sharing have been in development for a while. The company first introduced combating the issue in 2019, announcing an AI technology to flag accounts that shared information with other users outside of their homes. Two years later, they opted for two-step authentication to prevent the prevalent practice. Then in 2022, the idea of requiring account holders to pay extra for users they did not live with entered the mainstream conversation.
Earlier this year, Netflix announced new plan that would have required users to sync their device’s location every 30 days or lose access. This caused more confusion as many utilize streaming platforms outside of their home during travel or while away at college. Netflix quickly retracted this language from its website due to backlash.
It was in April of this year that the company announced it would bring the new guidelines already in use in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, to the United States. Testing was also expanded to Spain, Canada, New Zealand, and Portugal in February, according to The Verge. The new guidelines are also rolling out in the UK with subscribers paying £4.99 monthly for extra users.