Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Mar 28, 2023

Netflix says new password sharing rules were posted by accident

Netflix says new password sharing rules were posted by accident

Netflix may be home to popular shows like Squid Game and Stranger Things, but its attempts to get fans to pay up for their own accounts has not gone down well.

Netflix has said that updated measures to crack down on password sharing were posted by mistake.

Following widespread disappointment on social media, with many threatening to cancel their memberships, the streaming giant claimed some new account rules being trialled in other countries had accidentally been added to its help pages elsewhere.

While subscribers have been expecting the company to introduce anti-password sharing regulations since last year, when the platform started talking tough during a lull in memberships, the extent of the crackdown revealed earlier this week caught some by surprise.

Among the changes was a feature to let users add subaccounts for up to two people they don't live with, which essentially aims to monetise how subscribers have been sharing passwords for years.

It's been testing in parts of South America and costs the equivalent of an extra £2-£3 a month.

Netflix - home to shows like The Crown, Squid Game, and Stranger Things - said a help page about "paid sharing" coming to other countries went live elsewhere "for a brief time", and had since been removed.

To enforce the crackdown, Netflix wants to treat devices which use your account as trusted. In practice, this means using them on your home wifi network on a regular basis.

You would need to open the app and watch something on the trusted device at least once every 31 days, or risk a consistent barrage of verification requests to ensure nobody outside your household is using your account.

Squid Game is one of Netflix's most popular shows.

Why is Netflix doing this?

Despite the backlash, Netflix is still expected to take password sharing more seriously this year.

In December, the Intellectual Property Office clarified that password sharers may indeed be breaking copyright law, however it's down to the streaming services themselves to enforce it.

Netflix has started trying to tempt account sharers to make the move of their own accord by letting people transfer profiles from one account to another.

With more competition from the likes of Disney+ and Amazon Prime, and the cost of living crisis, the company is looking for ways to boost revenue and grow its subscriber base, which stands at more than 230 million.

But it's not gone down well with fans, who have been quick to point to a 2017 tweet in which Netflix proudly proclaimed: "Love is sharing a password."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
Close
0:00
0:00
Fallen 'Crypto King' Who Owes Millions to Investors Was Kidnapped and Tortured
AOC explains why she opposes banning TikTok
UK: Humza Yousaf replaces Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader and first minister in Scotland
In a dramatic U-turn against His Government: Judicial Reform Legislation Must Be Halted, Says Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
Gordon Moore, a co-founder of Intel Corporation, died at 94
Powell: Silicon Valley Bank was an 'outlier'
Donald Trump arrested – Twitter goes wild with doctored pictures
NYPD is setting up barricades outside Manhattan Criminal Court ahead of Trump arrest.
Credit Suisse's Scandalous History Resulted in an Obvious Collapse - It's time for regulators who fail to do their job to be held accountable and serve as an example by being behind bars.
Goldman Sachs cuts outlook for European bank debt over Credit Suisse crisis
Paris Rioting vs Macron anti democratic law
Credit Suisse to borrow $54 billion from Swiss central bank
Russian Hackers Preparing New Cyber Assault Against Ukraine
"Will Fly Wherever International Law Allows": US Warns Russia After Drone Incident
If this was in Tehran, Moscow or Hong Kong
Announcing GPT-4
TRUMP: "Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III."
China is calling out the US, UK, and Australia on their submarine pact, claiming they are going further down a dangerous road
A brief banking situation report
We are witnessing widespread bank fails and the president just gave a 5 min speech then walked off camera.
Donald Trump's asked by Tucker Carlson question on if the U.S. should support regime change in Russia?.
Good news: The U.S. government is now guaranteeing all deposits, held by, Silicon Valley Bank, and the funds are available as of today
Silicon Valley Bank exec was Lehman Brothers CFO
Saudi Arabia has announced a major breakthrough in diplomacy with Iran after two years of intense talks
A Mississippian man, who was once considered a “ticking time bomb,” has lost a whopping 165 kilograms! What motivated this incredible transformation?
Elon Musk Is Planning To Build A Town In Texas For His Employees
The Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse effect is spreading around the world, affecting startup companies across the globe
Market Chaos as USDC Loses Peg to USD after $3.3 Billion Reserves Held by Silicon Valley Bank Closed.
Barcelona is feeling the heat as they face corruption charges over payments to former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira
Banking regulators close SVB, the largest bank failure since the financial crisis
Watch: “They are wounded but unbowed, unbreakable.”
Silicon Valley Bank: Struggles Threaten Tech Startup Ecosystem"
The unelected UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, an immigrant himself, defends new controversial crackdown on illegal migration
Old clip of Bill Gates saying Ukraine is a big, fat, corrupt sinkhole is going viral
Saudi Arabia To Introduce Yoga In Universities
Middle East real estate market to see strong growth in 2023, predicts CBRE.
In a major snub to Downing Street's Silicon Valley dreams, UK chip giant Arm has dealt a serious blow to the government's economic strategy by opting for a US listing
Saudi Aramco, the energy giant, has acquired Valvoline Inc., a US-based oil company, for $2.65 billion
How do stolen goods end up on Amazon, eBay and Facebook Marketplace?
It's the question on everyone's lips: could a four-day workweek be the future of employment?
Is Gold the Ultimate Safe Haven Asset in Times of Uncertainty?
Spain officials quit over trains that were too wide for tunnels...
Hello. Here is our news digest from London.
Corruption and Influence Buying Uncovered in International Mainstream Media: Investigation Reveals Growing Disinformation Mercenaries
When it comes to Tesla vs Lamborghini, an empty vessel makes more noise
European MP Clare Daly condemns US attack on Nord Stream
Former U.S. President Carter will spend his remaining time at home and receive hospice care instead of medication
North Korea test-fires an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan west of Hokkaido
Tucker Carlson called Trump a 'demonic force'
US bombed Nord Stream gas pipelines, claims investigative journalist Seymour Hersh
×