Video streaming giant Netflix may soon be cracking down on users who share their passwords or accounts with other people. According to The Streamable, Netflix has began testing a feature that will prompt customers to sign up for an account if they are trying to login to another person’s Netflix account.
“If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching,” the prompt reads. The message comes with an invitation to join Netflix for free, as well as an option to request a verification code via email or SMS to confirm ownership of the account.
A Netflix spokesperson confirmed the test saying that it is “designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so.” At the moment, the test is limited to TV devices, but that could change in the future to cover more devices including smartphones.
Netflix’s terms of use specifically states that “the Netflix service and any content viewed through the service are for your personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household.”
Despite this, many Netflix users are sharing their passwords and accounts with people outside their household. The Netflix Premium plan, which costs ₱549 per month in the Philippines, allows you to stream on four separate devices simultaneously. This means that up to four different users can use a single Netflix account at the same time.
So far, Netflix has not yet issued a widespread crackdown on password sharing. The company said that they are monitoring the sharing of passwords and accounts, but had no plans to counter it – until now, that is.
Should Netflix go ahead with the crackdown on password sharing, this could mean that millions of users will suddenly lose access to their favorite video streaming platform. These users may be forced to pay for a subscription or even leave the platform. Even though Netflix is relatively cheaper in the Philippines compared to other countries such as the United States, some users may still find the subscription cost too steep, even at the lowest priced plan of ₱149 per month.
Hopefully, Netflix will find a way to accommodate those who can’t afford their plans. Perhaps a cheaper Netflix Premium plan for a single user or device?
