Netflix Begins Crackdown on Password Sharing in US and UK

[MacWiz_007]

You are simply trying to justify your freeloading (stealing) because it didn't qualify as freeloading in the past. It does now. The TOS has changed. You can either agree with the new TOS and continue to subscribe under those new rules, or you can cancel. The plaintive wail of "I used to be able to..."is irrelevant. I used to pay a nickel for a coke (Yes, I'm that old...), but they changed the rules so a nickel won't do anymore. Same with Netflix.

I get what you are saying with the price, but that's not the same as changing TOS. If Coke all of a sudden had a TOS that said you had to charge a family member $1 for a can of Coke that you've already paid for, because they live across the street and want a Coke, and then you had to send that money back to Coke, would you keep buying Coke? I certainly wouldn't.

 

[svenmany]

I'm really not sure how this is going to work in my case or if it's even needed. I just called them to get some help adding my son as an extra member to my account. When you add an extra member, you pay for it, but the extra member gets their own login.

My son lives 3 days a week at home and 4 days a week in an apartment a few miles away. He would be logging in from two different smart TVs at two separate locations. I thought for sure that would be flagged by them and somehow disabled. But the representative said that I don't even have to add an extra member. He said my family login should be useable from the two locations. I have a feeling the representative was wrong.

 

[Obioban]

Oh, so a new movie comes out, you buy the 4K DVD and rip it to your Plex server? Let’s see, new 4K DVDs are over $20 a piece, and then there’s the hardware needed to rip a 4K DVD. Is there even software to do that? Yeah, I guess that is cheaper? than subscribing to a streaming service. Just so you can stick it to the streaming services? Yeah, right.

Apple/iTunes upgrades your quality for free when a better version of a movie comes out.

 

[imola.zhp]

If a service is dirt cheap it’s irrelevant if you keep it around. When it becomes more expensive and the value goes down you get rid of it. Before this bru-haha occurred cheap accounts combined with lots of password sharing was part the reason Netflix did what it did.

Thanks for the additional context, now let me add additional context to my previous comment. If adding users at an additional cost is my only option and there was content I consistently watched on Netflix, I would just shed the extra users as opposed to paying more monthly. Since I'm not consistently watching content on Netflix, this change in structure just highlights, to myself, that I don't need the subscription any longer. Myself and the other users using my account, again, are only occasional users. Canceling the account will likely not cause any of them to sign back up for Netflix on their own.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

It was reported on tonight’s news that Netflix ran a similar scheme in Spain and lost 1M subscribers. I don’t think this is going to be great for business to be honest.

 

[cthompson94]

So many people in this thread act like this is the first time they heard of sharing passwords especially for Netflix! so many high and mighty above all because you feel it is a crime well guess what Netflix didn't view it as a crime and still doesn't, they just want money from it now after years of encouraging people to password share. All hail Netflix right?

 

[progx]

Oh, so a new movie comes out, you buy the 4K DVD and rip it to your Plex server? Let’s see, new 4K DVDs are over $20 a piece, and then there’s the hardware needed to rip a 4K DVD. Is there even software to do that? Yeah, I guess that is cheaper? than subscribing to a streaming service. Just so you can stick it to the streaming services? Yeah, right.

Wow. Need a safe space? The Blu-Ray version is good enough since 4K video files are huge. Most BR come out at $25, but I wait until they're on sale for under $15 or less to grab them. Unlike you, I'm patient and have other things to occupy my time. But hey, I'm not judging, you can pay $185 per year to Netflix if you wish. Also… where did I say I want to “stick it to the streaming services”?

I want to be able to stream my stuff anywhere I want. My Netflix is covered under my T-Mobile. Yes, it is cheaper, I'll buy the movie once and don't have to pay a monthly subscription to access it. A Lifetime license gives the ability to use an app with my media server, stream or download my music, movies and TV shows; plus my huge library of concert films (that can't be streamed anywhere).

 

[progx]

Apple/iTunes upgrades your quality for free when a better version of a movie comes out.

Yes. Stuff I bought well over a decade ago gets updated too.

 

[1284814]

How much are they going to pay the snitch who’s going to let them know if the person doesn’t live inside your house?

 

[aParkerMusic]

I am not sure who you are talking to but I challenge you to post where I claimed otherwise or where "I have been told things before", I’ll wait. I was very clearly responding to another member who was talking about pirating. Or just read post #37. You might want to actually read my posts first before taking that kind of tone.

Generally calling people thieves without allowing for any nuance (such as the case I’ve mentioned multiple times) as has been the accusation made across this thread, is unfair and insulting. That was the thrust of my message. Apologies if my response was insulting, as well. I think people should stop being so mean and dismissive of folks who think there’s a legit difference between sharing a password with 25 casual acquaintances and just sharing it with your grandmother (on a plan that allows more than one simultaneous stream).

 

[jmpstar]

If this turns out to be profitable for them you can bet other streaming services will copy it. Everyone in the industry will be interested in Netflix financial updates.

Definitely a big part of the reason I'll urge my family to entirely cancel Netflix. This might come back to bite them.

 

[w_macintosh]

With all these streaming services increasing their prices, and charging extra for 4K, more users may set sail.

View attachment 2206973

I mean I still use this a lot but the new gen kids will certainly be learning how to torrent 🤣🤣

 

[I7guy]

Thanks for the additional context, now let me add additional context to my previous comment. If adding users at an additional cost is my only option and there was content I consistently watched on Netflix, I would just shed the extra users as opposed to paying more monthly. Since I'm not consistently watching content on Netflix, this change in structure just highlights, to myself, that I don't need the subscription any longer. Myself and the other users using my account, again, are only occasional users. Canceling the account will likely not cause any of them to sign back up for Netflix on their own.

We’ll be able to cut our bill and Netflix picks up two other subscriptions. Netflix is one of our go to services.

Definitely a big part of the reason I'll urge my family to entirely cancel Netflix. This might come back to bite them.

The handwriting is on the wall for this one.

 

[Allrightythen]

It is rather simple, with the right equipment.

1. Configure a VPN Server on the paying side (home);
2. Configure a VPN Client on the remote site (e.g., openVPN on chromecast) to connect to the home VPN server;
3. Enjoy.

 

[Analog Kid]

If you take a physical object from someone, they no longer have it and are worse off as a result. If you download something that you weren't going to pay for either way, nobody is actually worse off.

The “that you weren’t going to pay for either way” is an interesting caveat... If it has no value, why take it? If it has value, then saying you weren’t going to pay for it anyway just means you were hell bent on, well, stealing it.

Do you have a bias towards atoms over bits? Is it stealing if you nick a book before the excess stock is destroyed or sent back to the publisher? If any stock is returned or destroyed, does anyone need to pay? Which ones are ”not making anyone worse off” and which are depriving someone of income?

People have such a bias toward pricing stuff based no the physical matter that comprises it. You don’t need a physical object to have value. Netflix’s service costs a certain amount to produce content and operate and that cost is divided among paying customers (and only paying customers). Saying it doesn’t matter how many people siphon off the stream means that the paying customers pay more. When you go to a store and buy something, part of what you’re paying for is to cover lossage from items that aren’t paid for by customers. The fewer paying customers, the more that product costs everyone else— leaving them actually worse off.

 

[ImaginaryNerve]

We have an interesting situation--Netflix is including in our mobile plan, so we only pay a little extra for the UHD/Premium whatever tier. We have a member of our plan that lives just over 100 miles (160km) away. I do wonder if he'll get flagged or not.

I let him know that I set him as priority so my phone will always ding if he messages me, in case Netflix wants him to have an access code or whatever so I can send it to him immediately but if it gets too inconvenient I'll just...cancel paying extra, I guess? I don't know.

Curious how it'll play out in our situation.

 

[Analog Kid]

So many people in this thread act like this is the first time they heard of sharing passwords especially for Netflix! so many high and mighty above all because you feel it is a crime well guess what Netflix didn't view it as a crime and still doesn't, they just want money from it now after years of encouraging people to password share. All hail Netflix right?

The password sharers are trying to overly moralize this conversation, frankly. I think by over moralizing a small thing, they’re trying to ridicule it. ”Holier than thou”, “high and mighty”, “all hail Netflix”… The people saying Netflix has a right to enforce their terms aren’t taking that stance. For what it’s worth, I suspect some of my best friends are probably sharing Netflix passwords and I don’t intend to cut them out of my life for it.

I think the password sharers feel judged way more than the rest of us are judging them. I think you’re hearing people say “You’re a sinner and you’re going to hell!” when what people are really saying is “whelp, you don’t have a leg to stand on here so don’t be surprised when your account gets locked.”

But you can’t say you have a right to something that you don’t, even if you used to, and being a small crime doesn’t mean it isn’t a crime even if nobody, including Netflix, thinks it’s worth sending you to Sing Sing for.

It’s this simple: if I tell my neighbor “hey, if you need the lawnmower, help yourself” and they come and take it, that’s not stealing, that’s sharing. If I later tell my neighbor, “my situation has changed, please don’t take my lawnmower anymore” and they do, that’s stealing. Even if I don’t call the cops, and just disinvite them from dinner Saturday night, it’s stealing.

2017 is history…

 

[Analog Kid]

It was reported on tonight’s news that Netflix ran a similar scheme in Spain and lost 1M subscribers. I don’t think this is going to be great for business to be honest.

I’d imagine that if the news has that number, Netflix does too and they’ve still chosen to go ahead. This isn’t some wild experiment they’re taking to see what happens. Doesn’t mean they can’t be wrong, but the fact that they lost 1M subs in Spain and are still going forward tells me they’re pretty convinced this is important.

 

[DotCom2]

Meanwhile, Netflix shares closed 2.5% up today. GO FIGURE!

 

[Realityck]

I'm really not sure how this is going to work in my case or if it's even needed. I just called them to get some help adding my son as an extra member to my account. When you add an extra member, you pay for it, but the extra member gets their own login.

My son lives 3 days a week at home and 4 days a week in an apartment a few miles away. He would be logging in from two different smart TVs at two separate locations. I thought for sure that would be flagged by them and somehow disabled. But the representative said that I don't even have to add an extra member. He said my family login should be useable from the two locations. I have a feeling the representative was wrong.

Perhaps that scenario qualifies? They don't specifically say you have to be part of household 7days a week do they? Its enough proof to say your son is still part of the household even if it is a few days a week.

Netflix said subscribers living in the same household would still be able to access their account when traveling or on the go,

 

[cthompson94]

The password sharers are trying to overly moralize this conversation, frankly. I think by over moralizing a small thing, they’re trying to ridicule it. ”Holier than thou”, “high and mighty”, “all hail Netflix”… The people saying Netflix has a right to enforce their terms aren’t taking that stance. For what it’s worth, I suspect some of my best friends are probably sharing Netflix passwords and I don’t intend to cut them out of my life for it.

I think the password sharers feel judged way more than the rest of us are judging them. I think you’re hearing people say “You’re a sinner and you’re going to hell!” when what people are really saying is “whelp, you don’t have a leg to stand on here so don’t be surprised when your account gets locked.”

But you can’t say you have a right to something that you don’t, even if you used to, and being a small crime doesn’t mean it isn’t a crime even if nobody, including Netflix, thinks it’s worth sending you to Sing Sing for.

It’s this simple: if I tell my neighbor “hey, if you need the lawnmower, help yourself” and they come and take it, that’s not stealing, that’s sharing. If I later tell my neighbor, “my situation has changed, please don’t take my lawnmower anymore” and they do, that’s stealing. Even if I don’t call the cops, and just disinvite them from dinner Saturday night, it’s stealing.

2017 is history…

So since I am one of the very bad password sharers I can tell you with first hand experience that no worries I don't feel judged over forum comments 😂 but certainly look through these comments...there are plenty of people calling members thieves you being one even in this comment I am replying to...

Definition of a crime: "an action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law."

so if you would please stop calling password sharing a crime or sorry "small crime" and also one again a poor example provided from you... in your example all you basically have to do is change "if you need the lawnmower" to something like If you want my password

Edit: Adding that I am done with this thread. Ultimately Netflix is making their change and the public will overall determine the final outcome and being basically labeled as a criminal in this thread is comical.

 

[KaiFiMacFan]

Calling it a crime does seem a bit melodramatic. I can see the TV ad campaign right now:

“If you suspect your friends or family may be password sharing, call the police. Only you can prevent password sharing!”

 

[citysnaps]

Meanwhile, Netflix shares closed 2.5% up today. GO FIGURE!

Makes sense. Their revenue will eventually increase.

 

[Stromos]

Have you tried this argument with movie tickets or museum memberships? Cell phone plans? Was it legal to split your neighbors cable back when cable was a thing?

Show me a cell phone plan where a single person has to buy four lines to have Ultrawideband. That’s Netflix logic.

Also my family has a four line family plan and we live in three houses. Could you imagine the carrier saying oh no you each need to buy a single line.

4 Streams/4 Lines.

Just like if a cell carrier did it I’m just not giving Netflix any business. I was a member since 2012 all this news coverage just made me realize it was dumb to give them any business. Gladly resubscribe to a 1 stream plan in 4K. I cancelled HBO as well this week. Not paying extra for 4K or multiple streams. I live by myself. I hope enough people follow suit that these companies need to fight to get us back and acknowledge single people or divorced parents with kids going back and forth.

 

[Stromos]

People are too stupid nowadays and will just pay whatever because Netflix yo. Concept of punishing with your wallet only works if you have a sensible population. Why things like $10 coffee are a booming business. For every person who says no way there are 50 people with disposable income or almost maxed out credit cards saying but yummy coffee. If everyone stopped buying it for a month or two the prices would go down.

Ever since Covid companies are playing the how high can we go game thinking at some point we’re gonna lose business and have to level out. The insane thing is people have lost their minds and just keep paying. These aren’t life essentials people need to wake up. Stop encouraging the game to continue and it will stop.