Netflix users who are used to watching their series via a third-party account will be able to enjoy it a little more. Rules to regulate account sharing released by Netflix earlier this week have been removed, HuffPost reported Thursday.
Today, it is possible for someone who pays for a Netflix subscription to share their account with several people outside their household, without them having to spend a penny. However, in recent months, the platform has made no secret of its ambition to put an end to this possibility, which has long allowed certain customers to take advantage of the service for free.
Earlier this week, Netflix announced the color in a FAQ on its help center according to HuffPost. “Devices that identify themselves on Netflix without being associated with your primary address” may “be blocked,” it read.
According to these new instructions, account sharing within the same household remained possible provided that the members associated with the main account connect to the wi-fi network of the house and watch at least one content every 31 days.
The streaming giant specified that it would now be necessary to request a special code to be able to continue watching films while traveling, for no more than seven consecutive days. Finally, to identify fraudsters, the platform indicated that it would carry out connection checks by geolocating the IP address of users. A draconian new regulation that worried fans of “Stranger Things”, “Wednesday” and “The Crown”.
a few more months
But this Thursday, the rules were removed from the frequently asked questions. Contacted by our colleagues, the company explained that this information, “translated from tests carried out in several South American countries”, had been posted online by mistake. Netflix is indeed testing the framework for account sharing in this region of the world.
But French subscribers will have little respite because “the outlines should be substantially the same when these new rules are deployed, planned in France at the end of the first quarter of 2023”, according to the platform.
Streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ are planning to make a change in business model in the coming years. After garnering as many subscribers as possible thanks to attractive prices and buoyant programs, the platforms are now aiming for financial stability. Rise in prices, end of account sharing, formula including advertising… they have therefore announced that they are studying several measures in recent months.