Netflix To Prohibit Password-Sharing Measures In The U.S. Soon

Netflix was previously under fire for reportedly planning on restricting password sharing back in February, in spite of the streaming service’s initial promotional video, which ironically said: “Love is sharing a password.”

The password-sharing ban was unveiled via The Streamable, in which subscribers will not be able to use their account while traveling outside their recorded IP address.

To be more specific, any devices outside your own home, where you usually open the account.

Amid their series cancellation spree, Netflix users were already on the verge of unsubscribing from their accounts, seeing as the majority cannot even afford a monthly subscription of their own.

This then led to a Netflix spokesperson addressing the case, claiming that the policy was an error on their part. Hence, the password-sharing ban was removed.

However, it is worth mentioning that the spokesperson indicated that the policy was only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, which does not absolve the streaming service from their statement.

Now, Variety reports that Netflix will be expanding their ‘previously tested’ password-sharing ban to United States subscribers by “second quarter of 2023” to ensure that freeloaders will become part of the subscription plan, instead.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Netflix Claims New Password Sharing Restriction Rule Is An Error

“In Q1, we launched paid sharing in four countries and are pleased with the results,” Netflix said in its first quarter 2023 earnings report (via Variety), “We are planning on a broad rollout, including in the U.S., in Q2.”

The four countries where Netflix first tested the new policy are Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain, wherein the service launched a “buy an extra member” option to pay an additional monthly fee, giving access to 1-2 people they don’t live with.

Netflix “found enough improvement opportunities in these areas to shift a broad launch to Q2 to implement those changes.”

“A Netflix account is meant to be shared in one household (people who live in the same location with the account owner),” the company stated on their customer-help section.

“People who are not in your household will need to sign up for their own account to watch Netflix.”