Netflix sharing to be banned in UK 'by end of the month' with customers forced to pay more to use same account
17 May 2023, 12:15 | Updated: 17 May 2023, 13:47
Netflix plans to stop users from sharing their accounts 'by the end of the month' with the steaming service holding talks with UK telecoms groups ahead of the crackdown.
The streaming giant has drawn up plans to stop multiple users taking advantage of the same account when they don't live with one another and will instead make users pay to share their passwords.
It has already ran a trial in Canada, New Zealand, Spain and Portugal, while in South America, it costs up to £3 to allow others to use your login details.
UK telecoms groups that use Netflix as part of TV bundles, including BT and Virgin Media, have been spoken to regarding the crackdown, the Financial Times reports.
It comes after Netflix shedded 200,000 subscribes one year ago, the first time its subscribers fell in more than a decade.
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The crackdown will work by encouraging users to set their primary location, meaning anyone who lives in the same house can use their account.
But if the account is used outside that primary location, Netflix will get in touch with the account holder.
It is also believed adverts may start to appear before programmes begin.
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Netflix had initially planned to introduce the crackdown earlier in the year.
But after trials in other parts of the world, the streaming service saw a number of users cancel their accounts, leading to lower membership growth.
After an initial dip, some users started to add "extra members" accounts, which the company says boosted revenue, according to the publication.
According to the company's latest figures, around 100 million households across the globe shared their accounts with other users.
