Netflix Is Cracking Down on Password Sharing

It looks like Netflix is finally beginning to crack down on one of the oldest streaming practices known to users around the globe. Password and login sharing has existed as long as Netflix has. Friends and family share accounts with one another, so only one bill is paid for the entertainment of everyone. There has always been talk of Netflix exploring a way to cut down on password sharing, and it appears as though the streaming service is finally beginning to do just that.

Some customers are starting to get a prompt when they log on to Netflix that tells them they need to be living in the same household as the owner of the account. The message includes a verification code option for those who do happen to be the account holder, if they are logging on from a different location.

For now, this is appearing solely on TV devices. If you’re watching on a Roku or iPhone, you won’t be seeing a message like this. At least not yet.

According to Netflix, this is a test that the company is adding to certain devices that is aimed not necessarily to take away password sharing, but to make sure people aren’t using Netflix accounts without permission.

“This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so,” a spokesperson from Netflix told The Streamable.

If this is implemented on a wider scale, it will be slightly difficult to police. For instance, if someone goes to college but still uses their parent’s Netflix account, would they be forced to get their own subscription? That doesn’t feel like the right answer, but this system would make them reach out to their parents to confirm an email when trying to watch a movie.

Have you noticed any of these password sharing prompts on Netflix? Will a new system like this make you think twice about your subscription? Let us know in the comments!