Netflix Cracking Down on Password Sharing – How Much Will it Cost?
The video streaming service Netflix is about to do something that will anger a lot of Louisiana subscribers. In fact, I'd be willing to bet almost all Netflix subscribers will find some way to be a little miffed. But, the fact is you and shouldn't and we shouldn't the company is just making an adjustment to protect unauthorized users from "borrowing" their service.
Now, if you are of a certain age you might recall the trick of sliding a piece of foil along your cable TV coax cable to fine-tune the illegal reception of HBO. Yeah, we really did that back in the day. It was stealing then and it's stealing now, just like the unauthorized use of Netflix password.
So, what is the "unauthorized use" of a Netflix password? Basically, a Netflix subscription is only valid for one IP address. An IP address is the "electronic stamp" for your Internet account. Chances are that the IP address that originates from your billing address is the one that Netflix recognizes as the "subscriber" to your account.
So it's more than okay for family members to share the service in different rooms on different devices in the same household. But what about if your children leave home for college? Or, they simply move out from under your roof? That's where an additional charge is going to come in.
Netflix has been testing their enhanced password protection protocols in South America and it looks as if they've ironed out most of the bugs. So, you can expect them to roll out a similar password policy in the United States by early 2023.
The company has made provisions for people to open "sub-accounts" for just $3.99 a month. That way you can piggyback off of another password-protected account. The issue at hand with that strategy again comes down to IP addresses. For example, if you watch Netflix at home and then take your tablet to work to finish watching a show during your lunch hour, will a "sub-account" be needed?
I suppose it's going to come down to what you're willing to pay for and how often and how much you're willing to pay. It's also going to come as a shock to those ex-boyfriends, girlfriends and family members who are using your password without your knowledge, they'll either have to get their own account or ask your permission to open a sub-account as part of your subscription.
The Best Halloween Costume Ideas From 2022 TV Shows