If Netflix Blocks Password Sharing, I'll Simply Stop Using Netflix

thegamer.com:

I’ve been wracking my brain to try to understand the logic behind Netflix’s latest PR nightmare, and I simply can’t come up with a reasonable explanation for it. Last month, Netflix rolled out a test program in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru that required subscribers to pay extra for sharing accounts with their friends and family. Password sharing has always been against the Netflix terms of service, but the company has never tried to enforce it until now. During an earnings call this week, Netflix referenced plans to crack down on password sharing as a response to stagnating growth and subscriber loss. Netflix intends to grow its subscriber base by stopping people from sharing passwords or charging them extra if they do, but I can only see that having the opposite effect. If people can’t share their passwords, they’ll just stop using Netflix.

I’m a proud password sharer (come at me, Netflix) out of financial necessity, of course, but also for the sake of positive social interdependence. I use a friend’s Netflix account, but they use my HBO Max account. My mom lends me and my brother her Hulu, while we both get to use his Disney+. Password sharers create a network of subscribers from different platforms that collectively shoulder the financial burden of streaming services - which has exploded in cost and variety over the past five years - and, in a way, creates a sense of community. When you share a password with someone, you’re telling them that you trust them enough not to give it to someone else, change the password, or muck up your recommendations. When they return the favor, it's a sign of respect and mutual admiration. I like the symbiosis of password sharing. I think it's a good thing for society, even if Netflix