From the BZ editorial team
Password sharing is a common phenomenon on streaming platforms. If Netflix has its way, it will soon cost money.
In the future, Netflix will also take action against account free riders in Germany. The streaming giant informed customers on Tuesday that it will soon be charging extra money for it.
For a person who does not live under the same roof as the paying account holder, 4.99 euros per month should be due.
According to Netflix, users from the same household should be able to access the joint account on the go or while traveling without any problems.
A “Netflix household” is therefore a collection of devices that go online where you usually watch Netflix. If you watch on a TV, Netflix automatically assigns all devices on the same Internet connection to a household.
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The shared Internet connection thus seems to be a central feature. Netflix said it collects IP addresses but not GPS data.
It was initially unclear how quickly Netflix would take action. Discovered users with a foreign account should first be warned that their access will soon be blocked.
►In the 17.99 euro premium account, customers can pay for up to two “extra members”.
►In the standard account, which costs EUR 12.99 per month, only one additional seat is provided.
►This is not possible with the basic account for 7.99 euros.
►At 4.99 euros, an extension in Germany is just as expensive as the cheapest Netflix subscription, where the service can be used with advertisements. Another detail: The additional account can only be activated in the country of the paying account user.
The US company estimates that around 100 million households use the service with login data from others. That’s a high proportion of the 232.5 million paying customers in the past quarter. For example, children often continue to use their parents’ accounts when they move out – or friends share access to save money.
The crackdown on account sharing had been announced for some time, and Netflix was testing it in several countries before the broad launch that has now been announced. In Europe it was Portugal and Spain.