Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

bloomberg.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 966 posts

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#51

Post by corbulo »

alexdunmow wrote: post #27
The_Colonel wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think the issue is that people who are paying for an account they are sharing are likely to keep the account active so their family members can continue watching. When the family are cut off, they cancel. That's the case for me indeed. I myself basically stopped watching Netflix, somehow the content doesn't do anything for me anymore. But I shared my account with family and they watch it. If this gets to us, and…

Interesting you say that the content doesn't appeal to you anymore. I feel the same way. My observation is that, for the most part, most of Netflix's original content is reality TV and comedy specials. They don't even seem to be bothering to create great content like Stranger Things anymore. We are at the enshittification of Netflix stage.

Long been there. 'Hello this is Netflix, you've been greenlit, how may I help you?' was a South Park meme years ago.

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#52

Post by robertlagrant »

melvinmelih wrote: post #29
teruakohatu wrote: post #12

> The move was linked to a fall in users of more than a million, two thirds of whom were using someone else’s password > Subscription cancellations in the first quarter tripled compared to the previous period, according to Kantar’s research. Of all remaining Netflix subscribers in Spain, one-tenth said they planned to unsubscribe in the second quarter. So they lost 300,000 paying users whom they think will come back,…

> I think the issue is that people who are paying for an account they are sharing are likely to keep the account active so their family members can continue watching, even if they are also using a competitor. When the family are cut off, they cancel. Definitely the case for me. I am able to help out 10-20 family members across 4 countries, and all I have to do is pay a measly $17.99/mo. If that goes away, I will be c…

I guess their calculus is how much does it cost to support 10-20 streaming users. Is it worth getting $18/mo for? I don't know the answer, but that seems to be their approach.

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#53

Post by nprateem »

alkonaut wrote: post #50

How do they detect account borrowing? only through simultaneous use? When I pay for the service I expect some low number of simultaneous clients (say 2-4) to be able to stream. Obviously sharing my password means sharing that quota and if the number of concurrent streams is 1 then the password isn't shareable at all. What I don't like though is when there can only be a fixed number of authenticated devices, whether t…

Probably geo IP and calculating feasible travel times. E.g. if 2 clients connect that are 50 miles away within 5 minutes creds are obviously being shared.

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#54

Post by dschuetz »

I don't really care about Netflix anymore, or any other streaming service.

I subscribe for a month, watch any new shows or movies I like, cancel and move on. All of my devices are 4K+HDR capable, I don't know why "up to 4 devices" is even relevant anymore if you can't share the account with anyone else. My family? Living elsewhere.

Now that there are dozens if not hundreds of streaming services offering exclusive content there is no paying customer growth possible anymore. What are they counting on? That consumers will pay for more than one subscription on different platforms? While they essentially only watch one at a time? How stupid is that!

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#56

Post by GordonS »

swe_dima wrote: post #40

An unplesant surpsise I got from Netflix is when I went to a vacation to Thailand and got welcomed with "you can't watch it here" screen. Customer support told me I can only watch Netflix in the country I purchased it from. This was not my first trip so must be a new development.

I got this with Amazon Prime in Thailand recently too. Incredibly annoying - what does it matter where I stream from?!

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#57

Post by robertlagrant »

mschild wrote: post #33
dspillett wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With energy prices shooting up, that scanned server cost is more significant now than it used to be, and per-user bandwidth costs don't drop forever due to economies of scale, so there may be more cost efficient promotion methods than 700,000 non-paying users. There was a study a while back (can't find it ATM, I'll have another look later) that suggested those using other people's accounts were more likely to be heav…

Energy prices in Europe are dropping significantly. Spain's pricing is down to 2021 levels again last month. No idea where they host their data in Europe but it's much the same in other European countries. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1267552/spain-monthly-wh...

Blimey. $39/mo to access that. Statista gives me a lot less value than a $20/mo Netflix account!

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#58

Post by carom »

alexdunmow wrote: post #27
The_Colonel wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I think the issue is that people who are paying for an account they are sharing are likely to keep the account active so their family members can continue watching. When the family are cut off, they cancel. That's the case for me indeed. I myself basically stopped watching Netflix, somehow the content doesn't do anything for me anymore. But I shared my account with family and they watch it. If this gets to us, and…

Interesting you say that the content doesn't appeal to you anymore. I feel the same way. My observation is that, for the most part, most of Netflix's original content is reality TV and comedy specials. They don't even seem to be bothering to create great content like Stranger Things anymore. We are at the enshittification of Netflix stage.

I almost feel it is a problem with the thumbnails. Everything looks so unappealing. I've liked a few Netflix shows in the past year (heck if I could name them though), I have a profile on my brother's account, but I primarily watch through an IPTV service. When I browse in the Netflix app I cannot find a single thing I want to watch.

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#59

Post by bryanrasmussen »

seri4l wrote: post #18

I always thought these types of services didn't go after account sharing as a form of flexible pricing. The users who are OK paying $10/mo pay that. The users who wouldn't pay $10 share an account and get a slightly less convenient service. Are their profit margins so tight that a 1:2 paying non-paying user loss ratio is a net win?

probably it's stupid on their part, but on the other hand users cost them money too. If you have two users on one account - one watching from 8-12 in the morning, and the other from 4-10 in the evening, if you get rid of one of them you are streaming 4 hours less for the same price. So I guess this kind of thing must also affect their calculations on this matter.

Re: Netflix loses 1M users in Spain over password policing

#60

Post by dmix »

MadSudaca wrote: post #42

It's funny. Right now I have access to around 5 streaming services while I only pay for 2. My girlfriend's friend has access to Netflix, my sis HBO. I provide access to Disney+ and Prime to my family. I used to get YT premium from my sis's boyfriend, but they detected I'm not in the family household and they kicked me out. If it wasn't because other people use my accounts (and I use theirs), I wouldn't be paying for…

> I used to get YT premium from my sis's boyfriend, but they detected I'm not in the family household and they kicked me out.

I'm surprised you achieved that at all. Google accounts are locked down hardcore... As it should be

My gf wanted me to share my ChatGPT plus account but I signed up via Gmail and it was impossible.

All of these sites can easily lock it down but choose not to. We're probably living in the Golden era. Although I still think Netflix's multi location accounts are far more expensive than their utility. And I fully see Netflix as an essential service but spending $35CAD/m is a serious consideration when I already buy 4 streaming devices that will very likely result in $18/m max if I pull the trigger.

Post reply on HN