Netflix users across the world could soon find their TVs are blocked from bingeing on boxsets or watching blockbuster movies. The big changes are being brought into force in some parts of the world in a bid to clamp down on users sharing their passwords with friends and family.
Right now, most subscribers can hand over their password to another home free of charge with that household then able to access content without paying for the privilege.
This is clearly costing Netflix a huge amount of money and it appears that the streaming firm is working on stopping the popular practice.
The company has just confirmed that users in areas of the world such as Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic will now have to pay extra if their account is being used in another property.
Prices start from around £1 per month in some areas and rise to almost £2 in other parts of the world.
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To make things as fair as possible, the fee only needs to be paid if the account is used for more than two weeks – that means those going on holiday and signing in on another device won’t be hit by the charge.
However, if a family member has access to the account and uses it for more than a fortnight, a fee must be paid or the TV will be blocked from access.
Confirming the changes, Netflix said in a blog post: “Beginning August 22, 2022, when you sign in to Netflix on a TV outside of your home, you will see the option to add the extra home for an additional fee per month.
“If you will only be using this TV for a limited time, you can watch Netflix for up to 2 weeks at no extra charge as long your account has not been previously used in that location. After that time, the TV will be blocked unless you add the extra home.”
There’s currently no word if Netflix plans to roll this extra fee out across the world but with the streaming firm currently losing subscribers it’s likely that they will be looking for ways to boost their finances.
News of this update comes as more changes are expected to arrive in the coming months including a cheaper subscription that will include adverts.
The streaming firm had already teased plans to launch an advert-supported option that will allow users to tune into content at a much-reduced price. Now we know that this new platform is coming soon, and will be supported with help from Microsoft.
Announcing the news in a post on its blog Netflix said: “Microsoft has the proven ability to support all our advertising needs as we work together to build a new ad-supported offering. More importantly, Microsoft offered the flexibility to innovate over time on both the technology and sales side, as well as strong privacy protections for our members. We’re excited to work with Microsoft as we bring this new service to life.”
There’s still no word on an exact launch date or price for cheaper Netflix and will still don’t know how many adverts users will need to sit through each day but with the cost of living crisis showing no signs of easing, this cheaper plan could help millions stay entertained.
Netflix users across the world could soon find their TVs are blocked from bingeing on boxsets or watching blockbuster movies. The big changes are being brought into force in some parts of the world in a bid to clamp down on users sharing their passwords with friends and family.
Right now, most subscribers can hand over their password to another home free of charge with that household then able to access content without paying for the privilege.
This is clearly costing Netflix a huge amount of money and it appears that the streaming firm is working on stopping the popular practice.
The company has just confirmed that users in areas of the world such as Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic will now have to pay extra if their account is being used in another property.
Prices start from around £1 per month in some areas and rise to almost £2 in other parts of the world.
READ MORE: Nokia is back with new £65 phone and something we’ve never seen before
To make things as fair as possible, the fee only needs to be paid if the account is used for more than two weeks – that means those going on holiday and signing in on another device won’t be hit by the charge.
However, if a family member has access to the account and uses it for more than a fortnight, a fee must be paid or the TV will be blocked from access.
Confirming the changes, Netflix said in a blog post: “Beginning August 22, 2022, when you sign in to Netflix on a TV outside of your home, you will see the option to add the extra home for an additional fee per month.
“If you will only be using this TV for a limited time, you can watch Netflix for up to 2 weeks at no extra charge as long your account has not been previously used in that location. After that time, the TV will be blocked unless you add the extra home.”
There’s currently no word if Netflix plans to roll this extra fee out across the world but with the streaming firm currently losing subscribers it’s likely that they will be looking for ways to boost their finances.
News of this update comes as more changes are expected to arrive in the coming months including a cheaper subscription that will include adverts.
The streaming firm had already teased plans to launch an advert-supported option that will allow users to tune into content at a much-reduced price. Now we know that this new platform is coming soon, and will be supported with help from Microsoft.
Announcing the news in a post on its blog Netflix said: “Microsoft has the proven ability to support all our advertising needs as we work together to build a new ad-supported offering. More importantly, Microsoft offered the flexibility to innovate over time on both the technology and sales side, as well as strong privacy protections for our members. We’re excited to work with Microsoft as we bring this new service to life.”
There’s still no word on an exact launch date or price for cheaper Netflix and will still don’t know how many adverts users will need to sit through each day but with the cost of living crisis showing no signs of easing, this cheaper plan could help millions stay entertained.