Netflix is to crack down on password sharing in a bid to convert ‘borrowers’ into paid account holders.
The streaming service first revealed in October that it was looking into ways to stop multiple people piggybacking off one account with plans to charge viewers who were caught sharing a package with people they don’t live with.
Netflix has now confirmed in its earning report it is rolling out a password-sharing crackdown near the end of March 2023 and by April, it plans to ensure anyone using its streaming service is paying their way.
Research firm Digital i estimates around a quarter of UK Netflix subscribers – around four million – are sharing their passwords.
At the end of last year, Netflix announced a cheaper ad-based subscription service in a bid to those sharing passwords in with a cut-price deal.
Households can pay just £4.99 a month to watch Netflix television shows and films interspersed with adverts – but they are only be available to stream on one device at a time.