Thursday, November 21

Netflix Is Getting Serious About Ending All of That Password Sharing


The days of hanging onto your ex’s Netflix password long after you have broken up may soon be over. According to a new report from The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix is trying to curb the long-held tradition of password sharing with a new feature that will catch people in the act.

Infographic Source: https://www.digitalinformationworld.com/2020/05/more-than-1-in-10-people-have-had-their-streaming-account-hacked.html

Now, as the website Gammawire noted, some who are watching with a shared password will be met with a screen asking “Is this your account?” If it is indeed an account you pay for, you can “verify” that you’re the person intended to be watching via a code sent either via text or email. You can also “verify later,” which gives you a little time to continue bingeing Murder Among the Mormons before you’re forced to get your own account or reconnect with a past love to beg for their code. A Netflix spokesperson told THR that the “test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so.” Apparently, one-third of all Netflix users have shared their passwords with others outside of their household.

In August of last year, Netflix introduced a “Watch Free” option, where people without an account can watch a handful of original movies and TV shows before ponying up for a subscription. Even more recently, the company ended its free 30-day trial period for new users. All of this now seems like small steps toward this password crackdown. This new system—which is still in its early stages—isn’t a foolproof way to prevent passwords from getting passed around, but it’s possibly the start of a new era.

(Story by Esther Zuckerman, Thrillist)