Netflix “accidentally” posted guidelines for bringing password sharing to an end earlier this week and people were not happy about it.
They released a help center article that detailed exactly how it was going to stop password sharing. I’m sure it was an accident, Netflix. The article has since been removed and Netflix said it was only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica and Peru.
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I get Netflix for free through T-Mobile. That’s how much I’m willing to pay for Netflix. To be clear, nothing. I’m willing to pay nothing.
Read: Here’s what the top movie, TV streaming services cost
I have been using my parents’ Netflix account since we were all mailing DVDs. Listen, I got really good at that. You had to watch something the day it came and have it back in the mail the next morning to make any real progress on a TV show.
Then streaming became available. Incredible. Iconic. Now there are too many streaming services. I use a lot of them, but that’s only because of password sharing. There are a few services I pay for that I would happily cancel if my family didn’t use them too. That’s just the way things are.
And Netflix, well, that’s not even one of the best ones. I’m not even sure the amount we use Netflix is worth having a free account. But even if Netflix was pumping out gold I would still want their war against password sharing to be lost.
If Netflix succeeds, then other streaming services might try to copy them. And, honestly, I’ll cancel everything. I’ll go back to the old ways. Maybe I’ll start going to the library again. Libraries are underappreciated anyway.
Read: Did Netflix cancel your favorite show in 2022? Here’s the list
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How Netflix plans on stopping password sharing
The Netflix help page for Chile shows what the streaming service is doing there and what could be coming to the United States.
Netflix said an account is meant to be shared in one household, people who live with the account owner. They’ve always said that, but not everybody listened.
Netflix will require each device associated with that account to connect to WIFI at the “primary location” at least once every 31 days. Devices that aren’t connected to the primary location could be blocked.
Account holders will be able to pay to add an extra member. Netflix doesn’t say exactly how much that will cost, just that it’s less than the price of their basic plan.