Netflix is about to do something about account sharing. After testing a notification last year that urged people to stop sharing and get their own Netflix accounts, the company has announced another test, this time in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru. This test will let subscribers pay extra to share their account with people outside of their home. Apparently, subscribers will be able to add up to two “sub-members” for $2.99 each in Costa Rica. Those users will get their own logins, recommendations, and profile for the price.
Netflix will also let subscribers in those countries transfer individual profiles to completely separate accounts. This will make it easy for sharers to keep their queue and recommendations intact. The company isn’t ready to commit to these features worldwide yet, but if the test works out in those countries, they may commit globally.
“We’ve always made it easy for people who live together to share their Netflix account, with features like separate profiles and multiple streams in our Standard and Premium plans,” Chengyi Long, director of Netflix Product Innovation, said. “While these have been hugely popular, they have also created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared. As a result, accounts are being shared between households – impacting our ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.”
I’m surprised it took Netflix this long to do something about account sharing. The practice is forbidden in the company’s TOS, but it’s something many people do regardless. That may change soon.
Source Engadget
Image Credit Netflix