Netflix introduces password sharing household controls

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#3034632 10-Feb-2023 15:18

networkn:

Audi just raised the price of their new cars, but I had been eyeing one at the old price AND I only get 1 key instead of the key previously offered, but since it's more expensive now, I'll be back in a few minutes after I get my Balaclava and Camo gear.

there's a slight difference in that netflix is taking something away rather than offering something new. i know you'll say 'household', but netflix themselves encouraged password sharing in the past.

not yanking your chain, but wouldn't it be closer to audi asking the customer to pay more for his current car if he wants his son who lives on the next street to be able to keep driving it?

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#3034641 10-Feb-2023 15:49

They passively facilitated it as well by forcing you to the Premium 4 stream plan if you wanted 4K HDR. I bet many households with the Premium plan have no need for 4 streams, so they share the extra streams that they don't need but have to pay for.

Fair would be a pricing model where you you can choose what stream quality you want, and how many streams. And then you pay for your actual requirements.

Some people might want 6 streams, but are happy with 720p. Some might only need 1 stream, but want 4K HDR. They could even link stream quality with profiles to allow mixing and matching.

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#3034646 10-Feb-2023 15:58

nitro:

there's a slight difference in that netflix is taking something away rather than offering something new. i know you'll say 'household', but netflix themselves encouraged password sharing in the past.

not yanking your chain, but wouldn't it be closer to audi asking the customer to pay more for his current car if he wants his son who lives on the next street to be able to keep driving it?

I see what you are saying, but there is a difference. You didn't buy your Netflix subscription. You rent it monthly.

Nothing I've seen from Netflix indicating they have specifically encouraged out-of-household sharing, only that they encourage sharing. People have chosen to take the approach they have because it suited them, or benefited them financially.

They have now clarified because it seems a significant number of people have chosen to interpret it the 'other' way.

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#3034647 10-Feb-2023 16:00

Paul1977:

They passively facilitated it as well by forcing you to the Premium 4 stream plan if you wanted 4K HDR. I bet many households with the Premium plan have no need for 4 streams, so they share the extra streams that they don't need but have to pay for.

Fair would be a pricing model where you you can choose what stream quality you want, and how many streams. And then you pay for your actual requirements.

Some people might want 6 streams, but are happy with 720p. Some might only need 1 stream, but want 4K HDR. They could even link stream quality with profiles to allow mixing and matching.

What a PITA that would be. Incremental increases between 10 potential plans.

Do you know other streaming services that have a per stream and then a definition per stream price? None of the ones I subscribe to have it?

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#3034661 10-Feb-2023 16:31

networkn:
They have now clarified because it seems a significant number of people have chosen to interpret it the 'other' way.

They haven’t clarified it. They have changed their policy and the way they enforce it.

They are free to do so but it’s a clear change not a clarification.

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#3034662 10-Feb-2023 16:36

networkn:

What a PITA that would be. Incremental increases between 10 potential plans.

Do you know other streaming services that have a per stream and then a definition per stream price? None of the ones I subscribe to have it?

As far as I'm aware no streaming provider does this, but aren't Netflix the only ones that have different quality streams depending on your plan? But I'm pretty sure the other big players give the highest available quality to everyone (happy to be corrected if I'm mistaken).

But my point is that the plans are already designed in such a way is to maximize profit my forcing many to pay for extra streams if they want higher quality, or vice versa. I have no need for more than 2 streams, but if want 4K HDR I have to pay for 4 streams.

Mixing and matching stream quality to profiles might be a step too far, but it's not a complicated idea to say "How many simultaneous streams do you require?" and " "what quality would you like?".

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#3034663 10-Feb-2023 16:40

networkn:
Using not getting what you want for the price you want as justification for switching to stealing is ummm....

Audi just raised the price of their new cars, but I had been eyeing one at the old price AND I only get 1 key instead of the key previously offered, but since it's more expensive now, I'll be back in a few minutes after I get my Balaclava and Camo gear.

Most people will pay a reasonable price for a convenient product. Music is a good example of this, music streaming services offer a convenient product and a manageable price so piracy isn’t a big deal. The value proposition for a consumer is compelling.

When it’s become more convenient to pirate than pay for a million subscriptions then the streaming value proposition is broken.

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#3034664 10-Feb-2023 16:45

Handle9:

They haven’t clarified it. They have changed their policy and the way they enforce it.

They are free to do so but it’s a clear change not a clarification.

I guess that would come down to what you deem as a reasonable interpretation of the existing arrangement. I consider sharing to be OK within a household, others for whom it has proven financially beneficial to do so, have chosen another interpretation.

I don't consider sharing outside your house, at the very least outside of direct family, to fall within the realms of reasonable.

If you can point me to any evidence where it was made specifically clear sharing was a free for all arrangement with no limits, then I'd change my opinion, but I've never seen any.

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#3034665 10-Feb-2023 16:48

Handle9: networkn:

When it’s become more convenient to pirate than pay for a million subscriptions then the streaming value proposition is broken.

That's a fancy way of saying that if you don't like the price for buying or renting a product, and it's easy enough, stealing is OK.

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#3034666 10-Feb-2023 16:51

networkn:

Nothing I've seen from Netflix indicating they have specifically encouraged out-of-household sharing, only that they encourage sharing. People have chosen to take the approach they have because it suited them, or benefited them financially.

They have now clarified because it seems a significant number of people have chosen to interpret it the 'other' way.

I think that's a bit of a stretch. It's not really password sharing if you're in the same household. When Netflix tweet "Love is sharing a password" most people would take it at face value, that Netflix is more than happy for you to share your password.

Like I previously said, this doesn't impact me. But I think it's an unfair policy, when their pricing is designed around purchasing a specific number of streams, to then limit how you can use those streams.

They can implement whatever policy they like, but the only reason they are doing this now is because they're losing subscribers as consumers are correctly seeing less and less value in their subscription. For many, this move is lowering that value even further.

This is after they, apparently, had such a poor uptake of their ad-supported plan that they had to refund advertisers after not meeting viewership targets.

I personally think this will be a zero sum game. They'll lose as much revenue from people cancelling or downgrading plans as they will from new subscriptions. I don't think revenue will change much, but they will lose a lot of good will.

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#3034667 10-Feb-2023 16:54

networkn:
Handle9: networkn:

When it’s become more convenient to pirate than pay for a million subscriptions then the streaming value proposition is broken.

That's a fancy way of saying that if you don't like the price for buying or renting a product, and it's easy enough, stealing is OK.

Nope. It’s reality.

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#3034668 10-Feb-2023 16:59

networkn:
Handle9:

They haven’t clarified it. They have changed their policy and the way they enforce it.

They are free to do so but it’s a clear change not a clarification.

I guess that would come down to what you deem as a reasonable interpretation of the existing arrangement. I consider sharing to be OK within a household, others for whom it has proven financially beneficial to do so, have chosen another interpretation.

I don't consider sharing outside your house, at the very least outside of direct family, to fall within the realms of reasonable.

If you can point me to any evidence where it was made specifically clear sharing was a free for all arrangement with no limits, then I'd change my opinion, but I've never seen any.

Netflix did nothing about about password sharing for 16 years. Now they are. That is a change.

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#3034756 10-Feb-2023 19:14

nitro:

there's a slight difference in that netflix is taking something away rather than offering something new. i know you'll say 'household', but netflix themselves encouraged password sharing in the past.

not yanking your chain, but wouldn't it be closer to audi asking the customer to pay more for his current car if he wants his son who lives on the next street to be able to keep driving it?

I get your point. IMO they allowed freedom to steal. Now they don't. On one side they gain interest by legalising stealing. Now they reign it in. You could say thats not far, but OTOH what they gifted you is a freebie. NOW, you can stay or go. I dont want to get into the semantics of it, but if you buy a service and you get your family members to take advantage (as I have x 3) then the freebie is over. There's no penalty. Stupid analogy I know but its like robbing banks in 2022 is ok, not in Feb 2023.It has been enjoyed and it was free, now its BAU

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#3034758 10-Feb-2023 19:24

Paul1977:

As far as I'm aware no streaming provider does this, but aren't Netflix the only ones that have different quality streams depending on your plan? But I'm pretty sure the other big players give the highest available quality to everyone (happy to be corrected if I'm mistaken).

But my point is that the plans are already designed in such a way is to maximize profit my forcing many to pay for extra streams if they want higher quality, or vice versa. I have no need for more than 2 streams, but if want 4K HDR I have to pay for 4 streams.

Mixing and matching stream quality to profiles might be a step too far, but it's not a complicated idea to say "How many simultaneous streams do you require?" and " "what quality would you like?".

As far as I'm aware no streaming provider does this

Not yet. We may see streaming as OLD but its not. As with any business you join in, you focus on the market not the profit, you need customers. Once it settles down and becomes mature, you re assess. NF has decided that they have the market, the desire, so its time to go to "buy 1 product get 1 product" Its not quite Adam Smith or "guns and butter" but thats 2023 Economics 101\

forcing many to pay for extra streams if they want higher quality, or vice versa. I have no need for more than 2 streams, but if want 4K HDR I have to pay for 4 streams.

You get that with many products. If I sold widgets, do I want 23 models? No. What they offer is what they offer. Accept or do not accept, its your choice (Contract Law)

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#3034761 10-Feb-2023 19:30

Handle9:

Netflix did nothing about about password sharing for 16 years. Now they are. That is a change.

Agree, its a business, they can do what they like, and assess the P+L effect. Clearly they see it as viable.

End of the day its about content. If they feel what they offer is worthwhile, they are a business. They decided it is

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