Following in the footsteps of Netflix, major streaming platforms are taking steps to curb password sharing. Following Disney+ CEO Bob Iger’s statement on exploring solutions to address account sharing, There has been a wave of speculation about how this trend could affect the future of online entertainment..
While some platforms join this initiative, others choose to maintain their current policies. Let’s see how this landscape develops and what measures the most popular platforms are considering or implementing.
The case of Disney+, following the Netflix model
Following in the footsteps of Netflix, Disney+ has announced its intention to take action against password sharing. Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed that they are exploring technical fixes and updates to the Disney+ terms and conditions to address this issue.
Iger, according to gizmodopoints out that account sharing is a priority for the company, since they believe that it can contribute to the growth of their business.
For its part, Netflix kickstarted this trend earlier this year by implementing an additional fee for out-of-home account sharing. Although this was controversial, it resulted in a significant increase in subscriptions, proving that restricting shared accounts can have a positive impact on the growth of the platform.
What about the other streaming platforms?
In contrast to the trend, Amazon Prime Video has decided to waive restrictions on password sharing. Through a clever Twitter post, Amazon has reaffirmed its “sharing is living” motto, mocking Netflix’s restrictive policies and saying it won’t go down the same path.
giggling and tweeting and hoping we don’t do the same
—Prime Video UK (@primevideouk) May 25, 2023
For his part, HBO Max allows the creation of up to five different profiles and the option to share the account, as long as the users connect from the same region as the original account. Besides, Paramount+ offers the ability to use up to three devices simultaneously with no limitation on the number of registered devices.
Finally, Apple TV+ places no restrictions on the number of simultaneous views and does not vary depending on the type of subscription chosen, all with the same Apple ID. However, it lacks the ability to create multiple users for the same account.
The trend of streaming platforms towards restricting password sharing is gaining momentum, led by Netflix and followed by Disney+. While some platforms align with this strategy to increase subscriptions and protect their income, others, such as Amazon Prime Video, choose to maintain a policy of flexibility and sharing. Everything will depend on the success of the measures and decisions of each one..