Netflix To Crackdown On Password Sharing (1 Viewer)

[Malcolm R]

Netflix seems to think that this will encourage people who are sharing passwords to get their own accounts. I think it is more likely that people who are sharing passwords will just do without Netflix if they get cut off.

So it would be a net zero gain for Netflix.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Some probably do; it sounds like Bryan might. But the bigger issue isn't mobile devices, which can be brought home once a month to be reupped.

But say you have a Roku or an Apple TV+ at your primary residence, and another Roku or Apple TV+ in the entertainment system at your summer camp. You're not going to disconnect your home theater once a month just to bring the streaming device home to connect to your home network. While it's doable, it's enough of a pain in the ass that it makes Netflix a nuisance and an obligation instead of an outlet and a form of recreation.

There's also the road warriors who live out of their suitcases and might not make it home once a month. Or the kids going to college on the other side of the country who can't afford to fly home once a month.

We are not Netflix customers, but that is our situation. We have separate Roku streaming devices at our Michigan home and South Carolina condo, and currently split time 75/25 between the two. Any streaming subscription service that ties me to a single location with my devices will instantly get canceled. I am not about to transport streaming devices between the two residences.

 

[DaveF]

Some probably do; it sounds like Bryan might. But the bigger issue isn't mobile devices, which can be brought home once a month to be reupped.

But say you have a Roku or an Apple TV+ at your primary residence, and another Roku or Apple TV+ in the entertainment system at your summer camp. You're not going to disconnect your home theater once a month just to bring the streaming device home to connect to your home network. While it's doable, it's enough of a pain in the ass that it makes Netflix a nuisance and an obligation instead of an outlet and a form of recreation.

There's also the road warriors who live out of their suitcases and might not make it home once a month. Or the kids going to college on the other side of the country who can't afford to fly home once a month.

Yes. Which is why I’m skeptical about the Netflix-at-the-office being a practical problem with Netflix‘s password sharing policy.

Netflix is long reported as of the most data-driven, sophisticated users of algorithms, so I doubtful they will instead the absolute most brain dead solution of simply checking that IP address 2 isn’t the same as IP address 1 and terminating all viewing seven days later.

Netflix has been explicit they’re going after shared passwords in different households. Kids using parent’s passwords (or parents using kids’ passwords, if it’s my family) or former roommates still using each others passwords despite having moved to different state years ago.

The traveler situation: this is such a common scenario — I’m also a traveler — that there’s no way Netflix will screw it up.

And it’s probably easy: the app knows what device it’s on. It knows it routinely connects from your home IP. And it sometimes connects other places.

I’d also guess that logging in even on other devices at other locations will not be a problem. That would be an intermittent connection out of home. A couple days out of state. And then back home for a month until the next trip.

I’d bet Netflix is targeting routine use over long periods from multiple locations. Two devices used daily in two different cities or states. Or a residential location and a university location.

 

[Edwin-S]

People are.already canceling because they think the service is too expensive and yet the CEO of NF thinks people will be willing to pay another surcharge for extra accounts?

 

[Bryan^H]

My gosh. This is reminds me so much of the XBox One "anti sharing" fiasco of 2013. The backlash was so fierce, and swift Microsoft reversed their decision to share games within a week. I expect the same thing to happen here. Netflix will realize that the bad word of mouth and negative media coverage will do them more harm than good, and find other ways to save money.

I do feel bad for them. But anytime a popular feature is taken away that customers have been used to for so long it seems anti-consumer. Even if it isn't.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Netflix is long reported as of the most data-driven, sophisticated users of algorithms, so I doubtful they will instead the absolute most brain dead solution of simply checking that IP address 2 isn’t the same as IP address 1 and terminating all viewing seven days later.

Well, I woulda agreed before this latest (rumor-ish?) report, but well, there you have it... though they may have already knixed or at least largely rolled back that idea (to perhaps merely run a very limited test trial) as soon as it leaked(?) out and received some instant backlash.

As for "most data-driven, sophisticated", well, that may all be relative, if it's even really all that true anymore. They could supposedly be the most sophisticated amongst a whole mountain of garbage, LOL, and really amount to not that much in truth in this regard...

_Man_

 

[bmasters9]

Do you think possibly that Netflix is doing this ridiculous "sharing" stuff because they seem to think that all members of a family should see the same film/show together (even if some might not care for said film/show), and that if someone else watches something else on another device, even within the same house, that is still sharing according to how they're defining it here?

(Probably a stupid question, I will admit, but that came to my mind just now based on what I've been reading here.)

 

[Bryan^H]

Do you think possibly that Netflix is doing this ridiculous "sharing" stuff because they seem to think that all members of a family should see the same film/show together (even if some might not care for said film/show), and that if someone else watches something else on another device, even within the same house, that is still sharing according to how they're defining it here?

(Probably a stupid question, I will admit, but that came to my mind just now based on what I've been reading here.)

The thing is, why do it now? They could have done this years ago. I truly think it would have gone a lot better for them. Taking these steps now when there are literally dozens of other streaming options that are just s good or better seems counterproductive. If other streaming services aren't sweating the password issue, then Netflix should be the last service to be worried about it!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Maybe what they should do, if they really want to go this (kind of) route, is to implement and offer a way to authenticate/authorize devices away from the primary residence thru their mobile app on (perhaps a limited number of) our mobile devices, not only the main STB or wifi at the primary residence -- maybe the mobile apps would have to first be enabled for that from the primary residence and then perhaps renabled at least once every year (or maybe half a year) or something like that.

That shouldn't be too much harder to do than what they had planned and probably much more feasible/convenient for their customers.

Another option would be to just use the kind of 2-step authentication method that's already quite prevalent across many platforms and websites that very many have probably already gotten used to -- my suggestion above is itself a variation on that theme.

_Man_

 

[Lord Dalek]

Probably saw their stocks plummet from this. Hence the walkback.

 

[DaveF]

Nothing really new in this article, but an interesting read.

Nonetheless, the damage seems to be done, with Netflix users around the world arguing that the approach misunderstands what modern households — which often include long-distance couples or families with children at college, as well as individual users who travel for work or don’t have one stable residence — are like.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/03/netflix-anti-password-sharing/

 

[DaveF]

The thing is, why do it now? They could have done this years ago. I truly think it would have gone a lot better for them. Taking these steps now when there are literally dozens of other streaming options that are just s good or better seems counterproductive. If other streaming services aren't sweating the password issue, then Netflix should be the last service to be worried about it!

It’s because there are so many other streaming services. Mostly losing money. But Netflix is profitable. So they shifted the metric from subscribers to profit. And now they’re going for profit over subscriber growth.

 

[Al.Anderson]

I like being able to share my Netflix account with my kids as much as anyone, but I'm going to go against the grain and say I completely understand that they would like to make money. It's pretty funny that just a few years back they had the, "Love is sharing a password" slogan; but that aside the market has changed for them. There's more competition and obtaining content is harder and more expensive. So we won't be canceling our subscription as a result of the sharing change. (They raise the rates again soon, that's another story.)

 

[Bryan^H]

It’s because there are so many other streaming services. Mostly losing money. But Netflix is profitable. So they shifted the metric from subscribers to profit. And now they’re going for profit over subscriber growth.

The platform has changed so drastically also. I remember when Netflix was solely acquired movies from studios and older tv shows. Now it is so much original programming. So much. I often wonder why they don't just tone it down on new original series. It seems like they are just throwing money away as so many if those multi million dollar production fail within the first year. So few resonate with a sizeable core audience.

 

[DaveF]

The platform has changed so drastically also. I remember when Netflix was solely acquired movies from studios and older tv shows. Now it is so much original programming. So much. I often wonder why they don't just tone it down on new original series. It seems like they are just throwing money away as so many if those multi million dollar production fail within the first year. So few resonate with a sizeable core audience.

Because they’re chasing the next Stranger Things or Squid Games.

They also produce a lot of bad movies chasing the movie audience.

And they buy movies chasing an Oscar. It was quite the upset that Apple beat them to it. (And reportedly due in no small part due to the “politics” of streaming with Hollywood no big fan of Netflix.)

 

[Bryan^H]

And they buy movies chasing an Oscar. It was quite the upset that Apple beat them to it. (And reportedly due in no small part due to the “politics” of streaming with Hollywood no big fan of Netflix.)

Yes, and this aspect makes me upset. I can't stand using a platform I'm almost on the verge of cancelling but the staying on another month because they get an exclusive "big name" director's film seemingly forever tied to their brand. From the Coen brothers to Richard Linklater. I can't buy them on disc, or digitally. Netflix or nothing.

 

[DaveF]

Yes, and this aspect makes me upset. I can't stand using a platform I'm almost on the verge of cancelling but the staying on another month because they get an exclusive "big name" director's film seemingly forever tied to their brand. From the Coen brothers to Richard Linklater. I can't buy them on disc, or digitally. Netflix or nothing.

Why?

Cancel. Come back later and watch the set of new moves you care about.

Rinse, repeat.

 

[Alex...]

 

[Clinton McClure]

The latest from Netflix on password sharing.

 

[albert_m2]

Looks like they're going to drop shows... Arrested Development is leaving.

https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/netflix-removing-arrested-development-original-seasons-1235521721/