Internet video streaming giant Netflix has reportedly contacted several major UK broadband ISPs that bundle their service with Pay TV products, including Sky Broadband, BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk, to discuss the potential impact on customers of their imminent crackdown on password / account sharing.
At present Netflix’s terms merely state that access to your account “may not be shared with individuals beyond your household unless otherwise allowed by your subscription plan“, but in recent months the entertainment giant has become more aggressive on the subject. The company is now about to implement a crackdown on password sharing in the UK (i.e. if you share your account with people outside of your household).
The change has already been introduced in a small number of countries, which saw Netflix issue automatic notifications to account holders when it detects such activity (this initially gives you a chance to authorise the “untrusted” device). But some customers have also been nudged into paying extra if they want to continue providing access to additional users via a special “sub account” add-on.
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However, ISPs that sell TV and broadband bundles with Netflix included are reportedly (FT) concerned that the looming crackdown could result in blowback, such as if customers were to flood their support lines to complain about an unpopular change that is outside their control. In some countries, the crackdown initially resulted in a rise in service cancellations, before later improving as new sub-accounts were added. Hence the need for close co-ordination.
As it stands, we still don’t have an exact date for when this change is due to be introduced in the UK, but the latest report suggests that it is expected to occur at the end of this month.
You can get Netflix for £4.99 per month. There is no need for people to be penny pinching by using someone else’s account.
Eh, Netflix used to encourage account sharing. https://twitter.com/netflix/status/840276073040371712.
Besides, they made full HD a premium feature in their pricing tier, and softened the blow by allowing a larger number of devices. It’s not a surprise people shared accounts.
Finally, strict rules suck for people who live in two places, like students. Students are allowed to use their parent or guardian’s TV licence, when using a portable device on battery. Netflix is being stricter than BBC TV Licensing.
Or you can sign up with a Turkey VPN
Can you get 4k on two screens at the same time for £4.99 or not really? Here is the issue. I am paying for top Netshit plan and exchange three out of four slots with other family members for: two Spotify slots, HBO Max (over VPN) and Disney+
Yes, there is a cheap plan but Netflix structures its product in a stupid manner. The issue is selling a number of streams, rather than doing what everyone else does and selling a service that happens to work on a usually undisclosed number of screens.
As long as Netflix sells is as “four streams” people are going to use one, and share three. Maybe with people in their household, and maybe not.
Additionally, not allowing one stream, in 4K for a sensible price is just obnoxious.
Time to sire up utorrent
I pay for it but don’t watch it that much, if Netflix want to go ahead and stop me sharing it then they will lose me as a customer. so they will not get any more money, in fact they may lose as i doubt the person I am sharing it with will bother to subscribe.
I’ve been hesitant to cancel my subscription because I don’t want to upset the freeloaders on my account who are my close relatives. This will save me perhaps 70% of my annual bill as Netflix becomes one of those subscribe for a month, binge, cancel services to me.
@spurple
I would not call the person who shares mine freeloaders, but I can see where you get the idea from.
It was my idea as I was paying for Netflix anyway. the thing now is that i watch other services more than Netflix,
Netflix execs really believe they get more customers if they crack password sharing rather than making better content not infested with wokeness
No-one’s forcing you to watch the comment that’s not to your taste, Sam.
XGS Is On: the thing is that you pay and there is nothing really to watch. I keep it because of children moaning how good is it and because I am exchanging slots with other relatives to access Disney, HBO Max and Spotify.
“Paying money with ‘nothing’ to watch” is pretty much every subscription TV service and not unique to Netflix – it is/was the same with Sky. There’s one or two flagship shows each year, and then an awful lot of filler. And as things fracture out further into each studios own platforms it will only get worse.
I have Netflix premium for 2 people in different house holds so we get UHD that’s £15.99
If Netflix make us stop sharing they will lose money as well just drop down to ads at £4.99 X2 is only £9.98
But they show you ads and get revenue from that. They also assume you’ll hate the lower resolution and upgrade.
Also they’re measured on customer numbers and revenue so having two customers is perhaps better than one.
I’ve paid for my Netflix in Turkish lira for about 4 years, and saved tons. have the top package for around £5.
Given how the Turkish Lira has devalued that has probably gotten a fair bit cheaper recently. Nicely done.
When the Lira dropped in price, Netflix put the price up to compensate. I have been doing the same for years, they used to accept my UK bank card but now it won’t work so I buy 200 Lira Netflix gift cards and top up my account that way. However if they stop account sharing they won’t be getting any more money from me. My plex server will then gain netflix content from usenet
we get it through Sky and pay extra for the top package so can watch on 4 devices in 4K – one family member recently moved out to own place but still watches netflix through my account. i don’t see why they should get blocked seeing we’re actually paying for it. all it would mean is that we end up cancelling and only signing up for 1 month to binge watch something.
Maybe, just maybe Netflix is having to crack down on this because of the vast numbers of subscribers leaving them because of their continual “We know what’s best for you and we’re going to indoctrinate you” voyage down the “woke garbage” road?
Yup, well said, exactly why we cancelled ours, that Harry and Megan rubbish was the last straw for us.
Has anyone even watched Harry and Meghan smearing their family on Netflix? This news makes a lot more sense and why people do not want to pay for an account when you take into consideration the fact that Netflix spends millions on these woke shows that go against the average person in favor of a cult
I agree with Netflix, password sharing shouldn’t be allowed
On the other hand torrents are the way.
Or just use the basic package.