17th February 2023 – (Vancouver) Netflix has recently given an update regarding their efforts to address the issue of password sharing. The streaming service has revealed that more than 100 million households worldwide share accounts, which poses a challenge to their ability to invest in new TV shows and movies.
As a response, Netflix has decided to broaden its restrictions on password and account sharing to new territories. Additionally, the streaming service has created a new method for users to control access to their accounts on the Netflix website.
Specifically, Netflix has extended its password sharing rules to four new countries, including Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain recently. Although the new restrictions will be implemented more broadly in the future, Netflix has yet to provide additional information at this time. Previously, Netflix had only tested the new restrictions in a few countries in Latin America.
Netflix’s approach to curb password sharing is quite assertive. The company emphasised that Netflix accounts are intended for sharing within a single household, meaning people who reside in the same location as the account owner. To enforce this policy, a new “primary location” will be established for each Netflix account. In order to ensure that Netflix can be used continuously, each device needs to connect to W-Fi from a main location at least every 31 days, and watch content through the Netflix app or website, thereby adding the device to the list of “trusted” devices. No further verification is required.
As we noted last month, a device that has logged into a Netflix account must connect to the home Wi-Fi network of that account at least once every 31 days. The company will employ various methods such as IP addresses, account activity, and device IDs to ascertain whether a device signed into an account is linked to the account’s primary location.
For situations where a device has not been connected to a home Wi-Fi network within 31 days, such as while traveling, Netflix can send a temporary code to the account holder to verify the device. However, the exact details of this process are still unknown, and there may be limits to how often a code can be requested.
However, some users have already found a way to bypass the system to continue with password sharing. A user only needs to create a brand new Gmail account and password, and the user’s family members or close friends can then log in to the same Gmail account to authenticate and log in to Netflix. A VPN network can be used to hide the common users’ IP addresses to avoid being traced from the same location. They can then share accounts without subscribing to expensive monthly plans.