On May 23, 2023, Netflix announced that they would be cracking down on password sharing outside the household of the account holder. USA Today noted that the streaming platform planned to do this by “checking the location” and having the user of the account set a primary location for their household. USA Today added that “Netflix uses IP addresses, device IDs and account activity to determine a household.”.
Along with restricting password sharing, Netflix announced that they will be raising their subscription prices. USA Today reported the changes in prices, noting that the most basic Netflix subscriptions are being increased by approximately $2 from $10 to $12 a month. Since Netflix has been able to successfully prevent password sharing, they have included that if a user wants to add a member outside the household, they’ll have to pay an additional fee of approximately $8 a month.
These increasing costs may raise concerns for users who share their password with someone who is away from home often, like college students that live on campus most of the year. When trying to log onto the platform on a television after having been kicked for being away from home for too long, Netflix informs the user that they are no longer a part of the household. The Washington Post reports that it takes 31 days for a user to be kicked out of their household. Users do have the ability to reset their primary location as they move around. However, this may prove inconvenient for students who are unable to return home often. Since a dorm room serves as a ‘home away from home’ for many students, changing the primary location is likely not an option for students that live on their college campus given that their parents or family members own the account. The user that manages the Netflix account would have to pay an additional $8 for their student to use the streaming service on their TV while in school.
As of right now, Netflix is the only streaming platform that is implementing this change to the password sharing program, says USA Today. Despite concerns from various users, Washington Post shared that there are those who voiced that they enjoy the end of password sharing because it allows them to get rid of “freeloaders” using their accounts. Netflix also benefits from this update because it means that said “freeloaders” would need to get their own subscriptions. However, there are instances where sharing the password for a Netflix account is the most viable option, and Netflix is capitalizing on it by leaving college students and others who are away from home no choice but to pay extra for their subscription.
By: Elaina Irving, Contributing Writer
Graphic by Shae-Lynn Henderson, EIC