Netflix is finally getting ready to do something about unauthorized account sharing. After testing a notification last year that prompted people to stop mooching and get their own Netflix accounts, the company has announced another test in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru which will allow subscribers to pay extra to share their account with people outside their home. Depending on the variety, subscribers will be able to add up to two “sub-members” for $2.99 each in Costa Rica. These users will get their own Netflix IDs, recommendations and profile.
Additionally, Netflix will also allow subscribers in these countries to transfer individual profiles to completely separate accounts. This will allow moochers to keep their queue and recommendations intact. The company isn’t committing to these features globally yet, but if it works in those countries, don’t be surprised if it starts pestering your parents to pay extra for your account.
“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,” said Chengyi Long, Director of Netflix Product Innovation, said in a blog post. “While they have been extremely popular, they have also created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared. As a result, accounts are shared between households, which impacts our ability to invest in new television programs and films for our members.”
If anything, it’s surprising that it’s taken Netflix this long to do something about account sharing. The practice is explicitly prohibited in the company’s terms of service, but it’s something a lot of people do anyway. (And really, Grandma doesn’t need her own account just to watch her stories.) After raising its prices in North America earlier this year, it wouldn’t be too shocking to see the company asking for additional charges.
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