In a quest to rid Netflix of freeloaders, the streaming service finally has a plan.
If you share a Netflix password with someone who doesn’t live in your house, Netflix plans to put a stop to it.
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Details of their plan has come to the fore and many who have been sharing passwords could soon be left out, and be forced to create their own accounts.
That’s the plan, according to the streaming service which has been losing millions, as a result of shared accounts.
The plan
Those who are not part of what Netflix considers a household will have to get their own account or the owner of the account can add them as an extra member.
By adding an extra member, the owner will have to pay an additional fee on a standard or premium plan which according to reports is less than the price of the streaming services basic plan.
This means those who sign into your account from a device that is not part of your primary location, may eventually be blocked.
It all comes down to an IP address.
In order to detect devices linked to a primary location of an account, Netflix will use IP addresses and device ID’s.
This means Netflix will associate a device with the connecting Wi-Fi as primary location.
Users will have to open the Netflix app or website and watch something at least every 31 days to stay connected.
Those travelling can still use the service by using a temporary code or updating the primary location of an account.
The entire shift to clampdown on password sharing is Netflix plan to to recover lost or in this case missing revenue.
Password sharing undermines the streaming services long term ability to invest and improve Netflix and the streaming service wants growth going forward.
Streamers can expect the new changes in the first quarter of 2023.
Netflix has indicated that it expected resistance after it launched it’s new gate keeping strategy but opted for long term growth financially.
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Featured image: David Balev/Unsplash
