The world’s largest streaming service, Netflix, has stated that it will stop allowing users to share their passwords anytime after December 31 at midnight as part of its 2023 plans. Netflix has had to face a rocky year so far after the massive boom that followed the lengthy COVID months. In the first quarter of 2022, the platform had to deal with a significant loss of subscribers, in part because fewer people were staying at home. Since then, the business has been considering ideas that could assist in reviving its subscriber base.
The ending of the password-sharing feature was one of the strategies considered, and according to The Wall Street Journal, the strategy may actually come to pass in the very near future. In order to prevent users from sharing their Netflix credentials with devices outside of their houses unless they pay to do so, the streamer plans to set up systems. The process including validation codes on login pages and the possibility to add a second user is already being tested on the streamer’s Latin American countries version.
Although the plan’s potential effectiveness in the US and other countries is yet unknown, it is not the only strategy Netflix has used to increase its subscriber base. The eventual goal for Netflix in this situation is quite obvious to everyone, even though it’s unknown how much the streamer plans to charge for shared accounts. All users will either have to pay extra or obtain their own subscription plan, with the most inexpensive starting at $6.99/month, as the password-sharing feature is no longer free.
The streamer may have to walk a fine line with its new policies so as not to annoy even more of its subscriber base, but given the number of excellent shows on offer like Wednesday and Stranger Things, the move could prove to be a stroke of genius. It remains to be seen whether this plan or the streamer’s other plans will succeed in the long run.