Netflix trialling charging extra for sharing accounts with friends and family

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exador

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#295274 18-Mar-2022 08:28

https://www.google.co.nz/amp/s/www.newshub.co.nz/home/technology/2022/03/netflix-trialling-charging-extra-for-sharing-accounts-with-friends-and-family.amp.html

Can anyone suggest how they would detect sharing? IP address too simplistic as you’re able to watch Netflix on mobile devices on any network 🤔

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#2887998 18-Mar-2022 08:48

I'm not sure how they'd detect it, but I think it's a good idea.

The number of posts online I see of people wantonly sharing their login details with others is staggering.

I pay for my content and provide my wife and kids with the login details as we are part of a family plan and all live in the same property, but at the end of the day, if we had kids at Uni, I'd probably continue to share the details with them on the condition they don't share the login details - I'd monitor it regularly for new activity and block any devices that I didn't recognise. Much as I do now.

I understand some people share the cost, but isn't that the point of having separate accounts? So you all pay your fair share for the service?

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exador

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#2888005 18-Mar-2022 08:55

Handsomedan:
if we had kids at Uni, I'd probably continue to share the details with them

Exactly what Netflix would be cracking down on.

It’s just a money grab.

MCD

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#2888006 18-Mar-2022 09:02

I pay $25 p/m for the premium Netflix plan, so I can have UHD and up to 4 devices streaming concurrently.

Why should it matter where those devices physically are?

It could be my TV, my mobile, at my office, on my laptop travelling - or one of my kids while at their Uni hall.

I think any of those scenarios should be covered by what I'm paying them each month, and you can't exceed 4 devices anyway...

Inphinity

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#2888017 18-Mar-2022 09:32

MCD:

I pay $25 p/m for the premium Netflix plan, so I can have UHD and up to 4 devices streaming concurrently.

Why should it matter where those devices physically are?

It could be my TV, my mobile, at my office, on my laptop travelling - or one of my kids while at their Uni hall.

I think any of those scenarios should be covered by what I'm paying them each month, and you can't exceed 4 devices anyway...

Same boat here. I can't see how they would reliably detect the out-of-household sharing scenarios without adding a painful process for those 'following the rules' as well. And if they make it difficult to use, well, that's one less streaming service to worry about. They're no longer the only good option around, plenty of content elsewhere these days.

rscole86

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#2888018 18-Mar-2022 09:35

It will be interesting to see what they define as a 'household'. The examples above, including uni students, I would argue are still part of your household.

I have no issue with their proposal, assuming they're targeting people who are not part of the account holders household. Eg, children move out of home and start renting

MCD

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#2888023 18-Mar-2022 09:48

I'm not sure how they would go about disambiguating non-household users from those 'legitimate' uses above.

But, it seems pretty stupid. Even if a few people abuse it, at most it gives them a 50% discount on the per-device fee, ie Netflix still get paid, just not quite as much.

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#2888038 18-Mar-2022 10:18

I follow the rules so bear the full burden of the cost of Netflix. To share an account would have to trust who you share it with, as if they share it with others could then find all 4 streams in use and not be able to watch something yourself. Or worse someone shared with changes password on you and updates email address.

Maybe the add on, gives them their own password, and an extra stream so it can’t effect main account?

Anyway as pay full cost do not find 4K plan reasonable value, fine with value on HD plan but I don’t have Netflix as 4K limited mainly to their own content, and others do 4K with no extra charge. If have as a single service realise a lot cheaper then options 20 years ago.

eracode

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#2888049 18-Mar-2022 10:34

exador:

Exactly what Netflix would be cracking down on.

It’s just a money grab.

I don't think it's at all fair to call it a "just a money grab" when all they're doing is changing their rules to prevent people from gaming the current arrangement which possibly diddles NF out of revenue.

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richms

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#2888066 18-Mar-2022 11:03

I have to pay to get 4 streams to just get proper quality. If they don't want me to share it, stop forcing to buy more streams than I need just to get 4k then. Otherwise I will share it around.

It will be like creative cloud where they start to inconvenience the login process with fake 2 factor, so you just have to set up mail rules on gmail to forward anything from netflix to anyone that will be using it to get the codes.

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sen8or

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#2888067 18-Mar-2022 11:04

eracode:

exador:

Exactly what Netflix would be cracking down on.

It’s just a money grab.

I don't think it's at all fair to call it a "just a money grab" when all they're doing is changing their rules to prevent people from gaming the current arrangement which possibly diddles NF out of revenue.

I don't think its changing the rules, its just putting mechanisms in place to actually enforce them. Much like the early days of Netflix who willfully turned a blind eye to DNS/VPN connections despite it being against their Ts & Cs, the eventually had to do something about it and we are nearly to the point where it is simply too hard to connect to another country's stream reliably, this may well go the same way.

eracode

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#2888079 18-Mar-2022 11:12

sen8or:

I don't think its changing the rules, it's just putting mechanisms in place to actually enforce them.

Yes - that's a better way of putting it.

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exador

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#2888189 18-Mar-2022 12:51

THIS is why they’re planning to do it.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/03/14/netflix-shares-hit-lowest-point-since-march-2020-when-covid-pandemic-started.html

Easy to milk existing subscribers.

eracode

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#2888204 18-Mar-2022 13:13

exador: THIS is why they’re planning to do it.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/03/14/netflix-shares-hit-lowest-point-since-march-2020-when-covid-pandemic-started.html

Easy to milk existing subscribers.

No - they're not milking anyone - and certainly not their existing subscribers. The existing subscribers don't need to pay any extra if they choose not to. NF are seeking to get some modest recompense from sponging users, who are not subscribers by definition, by putting mechanisms in place to enforce their rules.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

exador

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#2888207 18-Mar-2022 13:17

eracode:
exador: THIS is why they’re planning to do it.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/03/14/netflix-shares-hit-lowest-point-since-march-2020-when-covid-pandemic-started.html

Easy to milk existing subscribers.

No - they're not milking anyone - and certainly not their existing subscribers. The existing subscribers don't need to pay any extra if they choose not to. NF are seeking to get some modest recompense from sponging users, who are not subscribers by definition, by putting mechanisms in place to enforce their rules.

Bunch of existing subscribers above who share with family members outside the home. Are you calling them spongers? They will be forced to pay extra.

Dunnersfella

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#2888239 18-Mar-2022 13:55

Yeah they are sponging - if they're not paying for it... that's obvious.

I want Netflix to make money, that way they can be a successful business that continues to make content I enjoy (typing while watching Drive To Survive).

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