Netflix has moved from on from it’s policy of “Love is sharing a password” to blocking accounts that share passwords. Yesterday, the streaming giant announced a new update to be rolled out to stop password sharing. The brand said that about 100 million households shared Netflix accounts, creating a dip in revenue.
The proposed plan will block the Netflix account every 31 days if the device on which the Netflix account is being used hasn’t used the home Wi-Fi network. Netflix wants users to be logged in using their home Wi-Fi network at least once in 31 days to stop password sharing between consumers.
Essentially, Netflix wants an account to be shared within the household only. The move by Netflix caused enormous displeasure among its users on the internet. Many pointed out that everyone won’t be able to log in using their home Wi-Fi network every month.
Some others said that many users still don’t have a Wi-Fi network at home. Netflix’s CEO quickly responded to the criticism that users wouldn’t mind paying for quality content. People rushed to reply to Netflix’s tweet from 2017 about Love.
As we said in the introduction, netizens tweeted that Netflix’s Love is sharing a password didn’t age well. The streaming giant also updated its Help Center about the updates for accounts in India. Netflix describes a Netflix account as for people who live together in a single household.
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What Changes Are Being Pushed by Netflix to Stop Password Sharing in India?
Even if any of your family members live outside your household, they will be required to subscribe to their own account to watch Netflix. If any device outside your household logs into your Netflix account, the streaming company will ask them to verify their device. The device would be able to watch Netflix content only after verifying the Netflix account.
The verifying step will confirm if the one logged into Netflix outside your household is authorized with the usage of the app. Users outside the household will be asked to verify if they persistently use the account from a location outside your household.
Netflix was quick to roll back the plan, which wanted users to log in using the home Wi-Fi network every 31st day. The former verification was subjected to much criticism on the internet. Here is the new Netflix plan to verify if the device is authorized by the household or not in India;
- Netflix will send an email with a link to the email address or would text the link to the phone number of the primary account owner.
- Once opened, the link will redirect to a page that will display a 4-digit verification code.
- The user who needs to be verified should enter the code within 15 minutes. If the person fails to enter within the required time, they should request a new verification code from their device for successful verification.
- The user would be able to watch Netflix after the successful verification.
- The device verification may be required by Netflix periodically if you are using it outside your household.
- Netflix recommends resetting the password if you find any suspicious login activities.
How Netflix Plans to Make the Step Friendly for People Who Frequently Travel?
Netflix addresses the issue of using a Netflix account while traveling. The primary account holder wouldn’t be asked to verify their account despite using it from another location. However, the other users would be asked to verify their account periodically.
The company says that the verification process can be completed from anywhere if they use the account with the authorization of the household owner. Any device using the same network connection as the primary Netflix account owner’s household wouldn’t be asked for verification.
Every device out apart from the above said one would be frequently asked to verify their devices. The giant uses IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity from devices signed into the Netflix account for tracking devices.
The number of devices that can be used to stream content simultaneously depends on each household’s plans. The new verification measure wouldn’t be an issue for users who share their accounts with people living using the same Wi-Fi network.
Netflix adds that once verified, the person can enjoy the content for up to 7 days without additional verification. Netflix doesn’t plan to charge users if other people use their Netflix accounts.
Earlier, the company used to charge users outside of the primary household. In some Latin American countries, they had to create sub-accounts for about USD 3 extra a month. The move was part of its trials of anti-password sharing strategies.
What do you think about the new verification step initiated by Netflix to stop user password sharing? Please let us know your opinions and suggestions on the topic in the comments section.
