You may soon no longer be able to share your Netflix user name and password between separate households because Netflix may be cracking down on password sharing soon.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS:
This is (currently) just a test
Netflix has been testing ways to curb password sharing on its platform, with a new test specifically created to prevent password sharing between members of separate households.
People included in the test see a warning message that they’re not living with the account holder when attempting to log into the service using that account holder’s credentials.
“This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so,” a Netflix spokesperson toldThe Streamable.
The fine print
The currentNetflix termspermit password sharing with members of the same household
The Netflix service and any content viewed through our service are for your personal and non-commercial use only and may not be shared with individuals beyond your household.
The test appears to be currently limited to TV devices that support the Netflix app.
This is nothing new
Many other companies have security measures in place to prevent password sharing. The YouTube Premium Family subscription, for example, allows up to five different accounts to share access to YouTube Premium as long as they’re on the same local Wi-Fi network.
→How to use Netflix parents controls
You and I may dislike the practice, but preventing password sharing is a legitimate business interest for streamers because those companies have lost a whopping $9 billion to password sharing and piracy alone, according to analysis fromParks Associates.
