Disney Plus to Crack Down on Password Sharing and Unauthorized Account Use in Canada
Starting from November 1, Disney Plus will be implementing stricter measures to prevent password sharing and unauthorized account use. The new rules will first be enforced in Canada, as email notices were recently sent to Canadian subscribers outlining the updated account sharing guidelines.
According to reports, the notices emphasized that subscribers are prohibited from sharing their Disney Plus subscription with individuals outside of their household, except when specifically permitted by their service tier. The esteemed tech publication, Mobile Syrup, obtained a copy of the email and quoted the message as stating, “If we determine that you have violated this agreement, we may limit or terminate access to the service and/or take any other steps as permitted by this agreement.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger had previously hinted at the company’s intention to address password sharing, following in the footsteps of industry giant Netflix. Earlier this year, Netflix introduced a policy that charged $8 for additional users on an account. Netflix’s sharing rules vary based on subscription tiers, with premium subscribers allowed to add two extra people, standard subscribers permitted one extra user, and lower tier subscriptions not allowing any additional users. It remains unclear whether Disney Plus will implement similar rules based on plan tiers.
In addition to this crackdown on password sharing, Disney Plus will be raising its prices on October 12, including for its bundled services that include Hulu. However, the streaming service has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the enforcement of the new account sharing rules.
These measures by Disney Plus highlight the growing efforts of streaming services to combat password sharing and ensure that subscription accounts are used in compliance with their terms of service. As the popularity and influence of streaming platforms continue to rise, it is expected that more companies will follow suit in implementing stricter account sharing policies.