The video-streaming giant is taking a firmer stance against people sharing account passwords by testing a feature that prompts non-paying viewers to buy a subscription. A company spokesperson wrote that the test was “designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so.”
Marce Bester, Digital Editor at Stuff Magazine joined Gugulethu Mfuphi, and broke down why it was important for Netflix to go this route, despite how angry it would make their loyal customers.
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Listen to the full conversation here:
“It’s understandable that from a business perspective that they would rather have those four people that use your password pay for their own accounts, that’s how they’d sign up more users and make more money.”
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How will they do it?
Netflix has begun testing a feature that may limit access to users who borrow a password from someone outside their home to purchase a subscription.
According to the company, the function is currently being tested with a small group of users, It may trigger a wider crackdown on the widespread practice of relatives and friends exchanging passwords to avoid paying for the popular streaming service.
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Do you share you Netflix password with friends and family?
Bester spoke about how though this is Netflix’s way of increasing their numbers, people will continue sharing passwords and pirating movies. This is a human condition that can’t be easily bypassed by technology.
“This has been happening since the internet started, there’s really no way for anyone to police it, because when you start policing it a lot of questions start to pop-up. You can’t limit users to that point where they jump through too many hoops and leave the platform.”
