Netflix is clamping down on password sharing, again

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Netflix subscribers have had to deal with multiple price hikes recently. Now, the streaming service is changing things again, but not with another direct price hike. A new report says that Netflix is about to start enforcing its password-sharing restrictions.

The exclusive from Variety says that Netflix is trialing a way for account holders to pay extra for users outside of their primary address. That also means the streaming giant is going to start enforcing its ban on password-sharing.

According to Variety, three countries are getting a new trial feature. It’s not a fun feature though, more like an additional cost. Subscribers will be able to add two extra members that don’t live in the same house, for less than the cost of a single subscription.

Variety notes that this might not become a permanent Netflix feature, or even roll out worldwide. It’s a trial feature, to test market conditions and sentiment.

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That said, it might even be a win-win since it provides a way for more subscribers at a lower cost than an individual account.

To make the transition easier, Netflix is also testing the ability to transfer profiles to a new account. That would mean moochers could keep their watch history and tweaked suggestion algorithms when they subscribe.

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It’s almost a year to the day when Netflix tried a different way of cutting down on password sharing. Back then, you had to verify you were the account owner, via email or text. That test maybe didn’t work out, as the feature isn’t part of the service as far as we can tell.

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Joe Rice-Jones

Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.