How Netflix plans to prevent users (YOU) from sharing Passwords

After testing this idea in other countries, Netflix is now ready to ramp up the ability for its customers to not be able to share their passwords with family, friends, and others.  The company thinks that it is loosing revenue by allowing YOU to share your password.

An article from a website called GHacks outlines how the company will start to block people from using the feature:

Netflix explained in an updated account sharing FAQ how it plans to prevent account sharing in the future. The company highlights in the FAQ that devices will have to log into the local home network of the Netflix account and stream Netflix content regularly to avoid being blocked.

Netflix defines household devices in the following way: a device needs to be used to sign-in and watch Netflix content using the official Netflix apps or website while connected to the Wi-fi network at the primary location at least once every 31 days. Netflix mentions Wi-Fi network specifically and makes no mention of ethernet connections.

Information, such as IP addresses, device IDs and account activity is used to “determine whether a device signed into your account is part” of an account’s primary location.

Netflix targets account sharing with the restriction, but customers who only use their devices may also face verification prompts if they did not sign-in with a device for the 31 day period.

Could this be a model for other companies to begin implementing such feature?  Sound off in the comments below.

By the way, you can learn more about this by going to Netflix’s FAQ web page.

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Dan Uff

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