How Netflix Is Cracking Down On Password Sharing Accounts

screenrant.com:

Netflix will soon charge primary account users an extra fee for any users outside their household in an upcoming test that cracks down on password-sharing. The company has, in many respects, changed the game for media consumption ever since it first arrived in 1997. Netflix's business model of offering streaming, which began in 2007, fundamentally altered the traditional broadcast television and film by offering titles through SVOD and triggered a streaming war with a multitude of new arrivals. Last year, total global streaming subscriptions surpassed a staggering 1 billion subscriptions, with the Netflix behemoth reigning supreme among them. In January of this year, the streaming service announced that it will be raising its price from $13.99 to $15.49 per month for the standard plan, which makes it the most expensive streamer just above HBO Max's price point of $15/month.

Last year, Netflix similarly integrated an account verification tool to try and cut down on password sharing, although users were sometimes able to circumvent the tool and allow others to use their accounts by simply sending them the confirmation code, for instance. In the US and Canada combined, Netflix reports around 75 million subscribers. Globally, that number is around 222 million, but other streaming competitors are quickly closing the gap on Netflix's lead with their aggressive franchise offerings and price-cutting. For instance, Disney, which offers Disney+ priced at only $8/month and also majority-owns Hulu, closed out 2021 with 179 million total subscribers across platforms. Disney+ alone surpassed 100 million subscribers this time last year after only launching a little over a year prior. Netflix's returns last year were a bit disappointing