Netflix to start charging extra fee for sharing accounts with others
posted Friday Mar 18, 2022 by Scott Ertz
Netflix is planning to start charging an extra fee for users who share their accounts with people in other households. This new fee will be rolled out in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru over the next few weeks, and could potentially be expanded worldwide in the future. Netflix has been dealing with password-sharing for years, and this latest attempt is an effort to reduce that activity and generate more revenue for the company.
The account sharing problem
The problem is especially prevalent among Netflix users in countries like the United States, where the monthly subscription fee is relatively high. For many people, sharing an account is the only way they can afford to keep using Netflix. It remains to be seen how successful this new policy will be in reducing password-sharing, but it's clear that Netflix is committed to finding ways to generate more revenue from its subscribers.
However, the new solution will not be rolled out in the US, to begin with. Netflix says it will "evaluate" the results of the policy change in other countries before making a decision about whether or not to implement it in the US. So, for now, American Netflix users can continue to share their passwords with others without having to worry about an extra fee.
Not the first solution
Netflix has also been working on technology that would allow it to detect password sharing and limit account access accordingly. Last year, the company began asking users if they were part of the same household. Before continuing to use the service, they would be required to confirm that they were indeed part of the same household.
It's not clear how effective this measure has been, but it does show that Netflix is working on ways to limit password sharing. It's possible that the new fee will be rolled out in the US eventually, but for now, Netflix is taking a cautious approach and testing the policy in other countries first.
Other streamers feel the pain
The Netflix crackdown on password sharing is part of a larger trend in the streaming industry. In recent years, companies like HBO and Hulu have also taken steps to reduce password sharing. Hulu, for example, now requires users to verify their account with a text message before they can watch anything. HBO Max also has a similar verification process.
It's not just streaming companies that are affected by password sharing. Any service that requires a subscription, such as Adobe Creative Cloud or Microsoft Office 365, is susceptible to account sharing. It's not surprising that these companies are taking action to limit password sharing. After all, every lost subscriber represents a loss of revenue. And as the streaming industry becomes more competitive, these companies can't afford to lose any subscribers. It's likely that we'll see more streaming companies follow suit in the coming months and years as they look for ways to boost revenue.
Next steps
Only time will tell how successful Netflix's latest attempt to reduce password-sharing will be. But with the new policy set to roll out in other countries first, it's clear that the company is committed to finding ways to generate more revenue from its subscribers. American Netflix users can breathe a sigh of relief for now, but it's possible that the new fee will be coming to the US eventually. In the meantime, other subscription-based services are also taking steps to reduce password sharing. It's a problem that isn't going away anytime soon, but it's one that companies are actively trying to solve.
What do you think?
Do you think Netflix's new policy will be effective in reducing password sharing? Do you think other streamers will follow suit? Let us know in the comments!
