Streaming services crack down on password sharing as Govt agency warns it breaks the law
22 December 2022, 11:12
A clampdown on sharing passwords on Netflix accounts has been announced by the streaming giant after millions were told they were breaking the law.
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Film and TV series lovers have made a habit of passing their login details around to loved ones for on-demand services.
But they will now be told to start paying unless they all live under the same roof, with Netflix planning to use devices, IP addresses and account activity to rumble them.
And those who keep sharing their log ins could even fall foul of the law as part of an anti-piracy crackdown - meaning sitting down to watch Stranger Things could prove an expensive affair.
"Make no mistake, I don't think consumers are going to love it right out of the gate," said Ted Sarandos, the joint chief executive of Netflix.
The business has made changes to subscription fees in a bid to tackle problems faced by the streaming industry.
In the UK, it has introduced a cheaper £4.99 fee but this comes with adverts. More expensive plans do away with them.
Some 100m people are thought to be sharing passwords.
Meanwhile, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) updated its website to say people sharing their passwords could be committing a crime.
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A notice said: "There are a range of provisions in criminal and civil law which may be applicable in the case of password-sharing where the intent is to allow a user to access copyright-protected works without payment.
"These provisions may include breach of contractual terms, fraud or secondary copyright infringement, depending on the circumstances."
Decisions to prosecute password sharers will be made on a "case-by-case basis", according to the Crown Prosecution Service, with the Copyright Act's offence of "fraudulently receiving programmes" being punishable with a fine of up to £5,000.
