FAQ updates
Netflix’s plan to stop users from sharing their passwords with each other is beginning to take shape.
The streaming giant, which announced last month that it would begin the preliminary rollout of its strategy soon, has updated its FAQ page with some details on what users can expect.
The main hurdle that Netflix will place in front of password sharers is device verification when phones, computers, and streaming devices are logged into an account that is not the primary user’s home network.
This will trigger when someone accesses your account on a new device that is not associated with your household, or if your account is used repeatedly outside your household.
Netflix will email the primary account holder with a 4-digit verification code which they will have 15 minutes to enter before it expires, the FAQ site says.
Netflix says it uses IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity to determine which devices are part of the same household.
A previous version of the FAQ that has since been removed stated that “To ensure uninterrupted access to Netflix, connect to Wi-Fi at your primary location, open the Netflix app or website, and watch something at least once. times every 31 days. This creates a trusted device so you can watch Netflix, even when you’re away from your primary location.”
Netflix has said in the past that more than 100 million households use a shared password.
If you’re caught sharing a password, don’t worry about being hit with a charge immediately. Netflix says it “will not automatically charge you if you share your account.”
While a company representative didn’t immediately respond to CNBC Make It’s request for comment on how users might be charged, the company’s efforts to crack down on password sharing in the past can give an indication of what is to come.
In Peru, Costa Rica and Chile, Netflix charged fees of up to $3 per month to add “sub-accounts” for users who reside outside the account holder’s home, CNBC reported. last year.
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