Netflix has rolled out its new password sharing policy to selected countries. — AFP Relaxnews
The end of Netflix account sharing is already a reality in some countries, and this policy could well be extended to other markets – a prospect that doesn’t appear to appeal to consumers, a survey suggests.
Would you be prepared to pay an extra sum to legally share your Netflix account? For 56% of adults who either share their password with others or use a shared password, the answer is no.
According to a survey by Morning Consult, conducted in April 2022, among a sample of 1,334 adults in the US, 31% stated that they would probably not be willing to pay extra to continue account sharing. A further 25% were more adamant that they would refuse to accept this new option altogether.
On the other hand, 11% of streaming subscribers say they would definitely be willing to pay extra to legally share their password, while 22% would probably be likely to pay more money to share their account.
Netflix recently implemented a new policy, prohibiting account sharing if users do not live under the same roof. The streamer reported that over 100 million households are sharing accounts, “impacting (its) ability to invest in great new TV and films,” according to a news release on the subject.
After a first trial, the American streaming giant’s new policy on account sharing has been rolled out in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain at different prices. In addition to paying for their subscription, main subscribers will be able to add “sub-accounts” for up to two people who do not live at the same address as the account owner. For this, they will have to pay an additional C$7.99 per month in Canada, NZ$7.99 in New Zealand, €3.99 in Portugal and €5.99 in Spain – a new rate that will allow them to have their own login and password.
If users in countries already affected by this new policy do not pay this extra fee, they may face having their account blocked if device verification is launched. Netflix could indeed send a link by email or SMS with a four-digit confirmation code, expiring after 15 minutes, to enter on the device wishing to connect to the streaming service. On social networks, subscribers have expressed their discontent, and are considering turning to pirate content sites. – AFP Relaxnews
