Netflix, the world’s leading streaming service, is expanding its efforts to tackle password sharing in four more countries: Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain. With a growing number of users sharing their subscriptions, Netflix is taking steps to protect its revenue stream and ensure it can continue to invest in new programming content.
Love is Sharing a Password, or Not?
While Netflix once seemed to be encouraging password sharing with its 2017 tweet “Love is sharing a password,” the company is now taking a different approach. With rising competition in the streaming market and customers cutting back on subscriptions due to the cost of living, Netflix is focusing on protecting its revenue stream to ensure it can continue to invest in new programming content. This shift in approach may disappoint some users who enjoy sharing their subscriptions, but it is a necessary step for Netflix to maintain its position as the world’s leading streaming service.
Primary Location for Your Account
Starting today, Netflix members in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal will be asked to set up a “primary location” for their account and manage who has access to it. This change will make it easier for Netflix to monitor who is accessing the account and prevent password sharing. Although members will still be able to watch Netflix while traveling, they will be required to pay an additional fee to add friends and family who don’t live with them as “sub accounts.” This fee will vary by country, with Canadian subscribers paying CAD$7.99, New Zealanders paying NZ$7.99, Portuguese subscribers paying €3.99, and Spanish subscribers paying €5.99.
Fees for Sub Accounts
The fee for sub accounts may be unpopular with some users, but Netflix’s chief operating officer, Gregory Peters, expects the company to make up for any losses from cancellations. By requiring an additional fee for friends and family who don’t live with the primary account holder, Netflix is taking steps to protect its revenue and ensure it can continue to invest in new programming content.
Rise in User Numbers
Despite a sharp fall in subscriber numbers in the first half of 2022, Netflix saw a bigger-than-expected rise in user numbers in the last three months of the year. This took its total paid subscribers worldwide to nearly 231 million. In addition to this, the company introduced a cheaper ad-supported option in 12 countries, including most of Europe, the UK, and the US. This shows that despite the new approach to password sharing, Netflix remains a popular and well-loved platform for entertainment and content.
Final Thoughts
Understandably, some users may not be thrilled with the new changes, but the company has said that the growing number of shared accounts was affecting its ability to invest in new programming content. In an increasingly competitive market, Netflix is taking steps to protect its revenue and maintain its position as the world’s leading streaming service.
As the company moves forward with its new approach, it will be interesting to see how it affects its subscriber numbers and overall revenue. However, with a growing number of users worldwide, it’s clear that Netflix remains a popular and well-loved platform for entertainment and content.
Overall, the move to limit password sharing in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain is a necessary step for Netflix to protect its business and continue to provide high-quality programming content for its users. With a history of innovation and a commitment to excellence, the company is well-positioned to succeed in the ever-evolving world of streaming.
