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Netflix to start testing warnings for people borrowing login info

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Re: Netflix to start testing warnings for people borrowing login info

#3
This just gives piracy yet another advantage.

The article clearly mentions that credentials sharing is currently used as a mitigation to the balkanization of streaming services, allowing the cost of all major subscriptions to be spread across several people, essentially bringing down the per-person cost to a reasonable, single subscription's cost.

Cracking down on this doesn't mean people will start paying, they will just go back to illicit means of watching the content.

Re: Netflix to start testing warnings for people borrowing login info

#4
I think this is going to have the exact opposite effect of what they're going for. I know plenty of people who split the cost of an account because they can't justify the full price. The continual price hikes, and now this?

I'm sure the bean counters have done the math and they'll come out ahead, but losing content + raising prices and now killing off people sharing accounts is just a bad look. This is yet another category of business where I think they'd be far better off being private, so in theory there isn't constant pressure to continue increasing revenue. Once you have market penetration, the only way you're increasing revenue is through customer hostile actions (like increasing the price of the service while decreasing the cost to provide it).

Re: Netflix to start testing warnings for people borrowing login info

#6
post #5

What is the solution for shared custody of children? I have three kids that spend half their time at their moms. Are their Spotify and Netflix accounts (and mine) going to get shutoff? Is there some sort of appeal process?

According to the article you can just verify through a code that any devices are yours.

My hunch is this is only going to cull the second layer and beyond of password sharing (people you wouldn’t feel comfortable texting and asking for the verification code).

Re: Netflix to start testing warnings for people borrowing login info

#8
post #3

This just gives piracy yet another advantage. The article clearly mentions that credentials sharing is currently used as a mitigation to the balkanization of streaming services, allowing the cost of all major subscriptions to be spread across several people, essentially bringing down the per-person cost to a reasonable, single subscription's cost. Cracking down on this doesn't mean people will start paying, they will…

or people will just create a shared email account, or set up a forwarding rule for the verification emails...

I agree with another commenter. This seems targeted at people who are borrowing someone's account without their knowledge or consent.

Re: Netflix to start testing warnings for people borrowing login info

#9
post #4

I think this is going to have the exact opposite effect of what they're going for. I know plenty of people who split the cost of an account because they can't justify the full price. The continual price hikes, and now this? I'm sure the bean counters have done the math and they'll come out ahead, but losing content + raising prices and now killing off people sharing accounts is just a bad look. This is yet another ca…

> This is yet another category of business where I think they'd be far better off being private, so in theory there isn't constant pressure to continue increasing revenue.

Netflix has borrowed billions (and billions) of dollars to get where they are. As a private entity they've gone bust seven or eight years ago.

Netflix priced themselves artificially low to grow, based on debt. That set unrealistic consumer expectations and they might have to face the consequences of that eventually, but Netflix's terms literally always said that accounts could only be shared with people living in the same household as you.

Re: Netflix to start testing warnings for people borrowing login info

#10
As part of a single person household it feels weird that there is a norm that you are allowed to share logins "within your household". Effectively this means people in the same household are paying a lower price than others - so people living in single households are effectively subsidizing that usage by paying more per person.
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