Netflix Starts Crackdown on Shared Accounts in US, UK

Netflix has officially started cracking down on users from the U.S. and U.K. who share their passwords with members outside of their households.  

In a company statement, the streaming giant said it will be sending emails to members starting Tuesday. “A Netflix account is for use by one household. Everyone living in that household can use Netflix wherever they are — at home, on the go, on holiday — and take advantage of new features like Transfer Profile and Manage Access and Devices,” it explained.  

Netflix U.S. members subscribed to the standard monthly plan worth $15.49 may still share their accounts with members outside of their household for an additional $8 a month.  

Netflix Premium subscribers will also have the option to add up to two extra members for $8 monthly per head. For Netflix users based in U.K., extra members will cost £5 a month. 

While Premium and Standard users are entitled to this feature, Netflix Basic and Standard with Ads account holders will not be able to add extra members to their account.  

The streaming service first announced changing its password-sharing policy in January, with the crackdown hitting Netflix subscribers in Canada, New Zealand, and Spain early February.  

“As we roll out paid sharing, members in many countries will also have the option to pay extra if they want to share Netflix with people they don’t live with,” the company explained. 

The announcement has since garnered tremendous backlash from the Netflix community, leading the company to push back on their crackdown originally planned at the start of the year.