Netflix Intends to Enforce Account Sharing Restrictions
Netflix, the world's leading streaming service, has announced new measures to combat unauthorised account sharing outside a single household. Here's what you need to know about these changes and the options available to users.
In an effort to protect its content and prevent additional licensing costs, Netflix is taking steps to ensure that its accounts are primarily used by people living in the same household. Users sharing their accounts with individuals outside their household may find themselves blocked from streaming unless they pay for additional access.
To accommodate this, Netflix has introduced an "Extra Member" feature, allowing account holders to add people living elsewhere to their account for an added monthly fee. The Standard plan allows adding one Extra Member, while the Premium plan allows two. However, the Basic and Standard with Ads plans do not support adding Extra Members.
For those who wish to avoid the crackdown on account sharing, there are a few options available. Sharing the account only within your household, as per Netflix's terms, is the most straightforward solution. If sharing outside the household, paying for Extra Member slots to stay compliant is another option.
If someone you shared with stops paying, it's essential to secure your account by signing out all devices and changing your password via Account > Settings > Sign Out of All Devices to prevent unauthorized access. Downgrading or cancelling your plan is also possible if you no longer want to share or pay for extra members.
Some users may consider using VPNs or other unofficial workarounds to bypass these measures, but these violate Netflix’s terms and risk restrictions.
According to surveys, many users share within households without changes, but about 15% have opted to pay for extra member slots to share with others outside their household.
In summary, Netflix’s new policy aims to limit password sharing to household members unless extra fees are paid for additional users. Users who want to avoid the crackdown should either restrict sharing to household members or pay for Extra Member access to stay within Netflix’s new rules. They should also manage account access by changing passwords if needed.
[1] Source: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/30610 [2] Source: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/30609 [3] Source: https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/1/22882084/netflix-password-sharing-crackdown-extra-member-account-costs
- To tackle account sharing outside the household and protect its content, Netflix has rolled out the "Extra Member" feature, enabling account holders to add individuals living elsewhere for an extra cost, with options for one Extra Member on the Standard plan and two on the Premium plan.
- Alternatively, Netflix users can maintain their account sharing within their household, in line with Netflix's terms, or choose to pay for the Extra Member slots to continue streaming with friends and family living outside their immediate household.
