According to Netflix, users must connect their device to their home Wi-Fi network every 31 days. Failure to meet these new requirements results in accounts being blocked, ultimately preventing users from sharing passwords as well as losing access to their accounts.
As the most popular and longest-standing streaming service that originally prided itself on its password-sharing abilities, USC students shared their thoughts on this new strategy.
Victor Aboumrad, a senior majoring in geodesign, says the changes will affect students who share accounts with their family but don’t live in the same location.
Victor Aboumrad: I know that they’re going to do it location-based, and I do not live in the same city or even country as my parents, so that really kind of splits our household in terms of how the location service is being kind of biased because we’re still one household even though we don’t live in the same place. However, I do understand that it’s a business and they do, they got to do what they got to do, but it might lead me away from the service, definitely.
Aboumrad is considering other streaming services for better watch options.
Victor Aboumrad: I think I’ll definitely explore some other options. I think my my taste for for watching content has changed in the last couple of years, and I feel like Netflix isn’t providing the kind of content I want and for the price, I could probably go to other services.
Entertainment and technology attorney Jonathan Handel offered his input on the economic standpoint of Netflix password sharing .
Jonathan Handel: What Netflix is hoping is that by cutting down on password sharing, but offering a sort of page sharing alternative, that they’ll increase their profits ... The share prices for Netflix and other entertainment companies have dropped dramatically, and there’s an awful lot of concern among companies as to how they can make money off- how streaming itself can make money. So I think that’s what’s motivating this.
Similarly, Camila Aristimuno, a freshman majoring in aerospace engineering, shared her thoughts.
Camila Aristimuno: The shows they have suck. Like, the audacity. If they had really good shows that were worth it, I’d be like, “you know, I kind of understand,” but like, half the shows suck. Well, not half, most.
Netflix shows no signs of backing down from their new policy, leaving customers with a choice to make. The password sharing policy goes into effect March.
For Annenberg Media, I’m Hali Mecklin.