If you’re using a shared account from a friend, your freeloading days might be over soon. Netflix is currently testing a new method in order to verify that the user logging into the account is indeed connected to that person.
A report from Gammawire states that there’s a new window appearing for a small number of users, asking them to verify the account. Majority of it though presents them the option to create their own account or join for 30 days free.
It presents two options for verification – either by email or text, or they can verify later. Users who clicked on verify later have yet to see the pop-up window again.
For the longest time, Netflix has been non-chalant about password sharing. In 2016, CEO Reed Hastings even said that it’s a positive thing, adding that those who initially just share an account move on to have an account of their own.
However, the context is different. When Hastings said that in his CES 2016 interview, he was referring to family members. The gray area in the matter is between people in different households sharing one account, which is more common and is what Netflix is trying to curb with this test.
With their hesitance to introduce ads in their pages, Netflix seems to be trying to increase profit by having more paying users with this move. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out and if it will reach our region.
