Netflix wants to prevent account sharing and only allows the use of an account in a specified household. But what if you want to use Netflix on the train, on a business trip or on vacation?
Account sharing has been a thorn in the side of streaming provider Netflix for long enough. Access to the Netflix account is now to be limited to one household at a time in order to attract more paying customers in the medium term. But the measures that Netflix wants to use to uncover unauthorized account sharing have an annoying side effect for anyone who wants to use their access elsewhere.
Netflix on vacation? Code only
As TECHBOOK reported, Netflix uses the IP addresses of the devices used to determine the home network of the respective household. Devices that use a different Internet access with the same account are therefore initially suspicious and will be blocked. But if you want to access your own Netflix account as a paying customer on the go, in a second home or even on vacation, you suddenly face a problem.
In most cases, the solution is obvious: Netflix sends a code to the account owner by email. The account can then be unlocked and used outside of the home network – but only for 7 days in a row. After that, a new code must be requested, the game repeats itself, but cannot be continued forever. The device must be registered in the home network at least once every 31 days. Anyone who is away for a longer period of time loses access to their own account on the device concerned.
Use Netflix on the go – cumbersome, but possible
This regulation is certainly helpful for Netflix to prevent unauthorized account sharing. However, for legitimate users, the procedure requires additional and cumbersome organizational effort, which can end very unfairly. In addition, the FAQ from Netflix have not been particularly helpful in solving this problem. It remains to be seen with what consistency Netflix will continue the code system and whether a better regulation will be developed for long-term travelers or people with a second home.