Although Netflix has always been in favor of users who share their accounts, now we see that the company is taking a step back in this regard. A test battling password splitters in Peru is already causing chaos. As the video streaming service doesn’t announce the changes…
Netflix users in Peru, Costa Rica, and Chile already have to believe: they have to pay extra for their subscription when they share their account with John and everyone else. This is part of an ongoing trial since March. But this experiment causes a lot of confusion.
Because as it turns out: most of the users were not aware of it. In some cases, more than two months have passed and this still has not happened. There is also a difference in the implementation of the new policy. Some users may continue to use shared accounts without having to prove that they are the owner of that account or that they are part of the household. Therefore, the new policy there seems to be of little use at the moment.
What is the household for Netflix?
To complete the confusion, there is also a fuss about the definition of ‘household’. What exactly is a home for Netflix? You could say that these are family members living in the same household as the account holder. But that turned out not to be the case, a customer service representative anonymously reported to the Rest of World website.
The employee in question had to distribute verification codes to people who logged into a joint account outside of the home. As a result, it’s still possible for password sharers to view whatever content they want at no extra cost.
To clarify, this is specified in the official rules.
A Netflix account is for people who form a single family together. This household is the Netflix household. It depends on the devices of the main account holder and the devices of other people who are part of the Netflix family.
Additional costs for account sharers
The experiment had previously shown that Netflix charges around two to three dollars for people staying outside the home. This is converted to approximately 1.87 to 2.81 euros excluding VAT. This allows you to add up to two people outside of your household to your account.
This seems like a huge amount as the amount is so low and Netflix doesn’t seem to be trying to make big bucks on it. Maybe this is just a bit of a stage to reassure investors and show that the company is solving problems.
At the time of writing, it is not yet clear when Netflix will charge more money for account sharers in the Netherlands and Belgium. If so, it’s good to know that such a surcharge is still cheaper than the cheapest subscription to the service.
Source: Computer Totaal
I am Bret Jackson, a professional journalist and author for Gadget Onus, where I specialize in writing about the gaming industry. With over 6 years of experience in my field, I have built up an extensive portfolio that ranges from reviews to interviews with top figures within the industry. My work has been featured on various news sites, providing readers with insightful analysis regarding the current state of gaming culture.
