According to reports, more and more streaming services are preparing to crack down on user password sharing.
Disney+, Hulu, Max and ESPN+ are all reportedly preparing to follow in the footsteps of Netflix, which introduced password-sharing restrictions last year.
Disney CEO Bob Iger recently praised Netflix’s tough approach and said his own company would make its “first real foray into password sharing” this summer.
But what exact restrictions does Netflix have and can users still share their passwords? Here’s everything you need to know.
What are Netflix’s password sharing rules?
Netflix users in the UK were previously free to share their account password with friends or family. But in May 2023, the streaming service introduced a “paid sharing” program in the UK to increase its subscriptions and profits.
The move means subscribers will now have to pay an additional £4.99 per month for each person outside their household they share their password with.
Netflix, which airs hit series such as “Stranger Things,” “Bridgerton” and “Wednesday,” has an estimated 15 million subscribers in the UK, making it the country’s most popular paid streaming service.
Before the crackdown last year, around four million users reportedly allowed friends and relatives to use their accounts for free.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings had previously stated that he had no problem with users sharing their passwords. “Password sharing is something you have to learn to live with,” he said in 2016, “because there are so many legitimate ways of sharing passwords, like with your spouse or your children. So there’s no clear line, and we’re fine the way it is.”
Although Netflix received some negative reactions with this about-face, Netflix’s new approach seems to have paid off. The company reported a huge increase in subscribers at the end of last year.
Has Netflix increased its prices in the UK?
Given rising inflation and the cost of living crisis, Netflix last raised its prices in the UK in October 2023.
The streaming giant’s basic ad-free offering has increased by £1 per month to £7.99, while the cost of the premium option has increased by £2 per month to £17.99. The standard offering will continue to cost £10.99 per month.
However, the basic offering is expected to be discontinued before the end of June 2024, as it has already been unavailable to new subscribers since June 2023. The move is obviously an attempt to attract subscribers to either the ad-supported offerings or the premium offering.
Netflix has not yet announced any potential further price increases in 2024. However, analysts at UBS Securities predicted another increase in February, saying, “We expect there to be price increases this year.”