Netflix to Expand Crackdown on Password Sharing, Unveils U.S. Rollout Schedule

Netflix has announced its plans to roll out a “broad” crackdown on password-sharing later this year in the United States and other territories. According to the company’s Q1 2023 shareholder report, Netflix will introduce paid sharing in Q2 2023, meaning that by the end of June, viewers will have to pay extra to share their Netflix account with other households. The service was first tested in four countries in July 2022, where customers were asked to pay a fee for using their account outside their home. Netflix is yet to reveal the cost of these additional homes in the United States.

As part of the password-sharing crackdown, Netflix has introduced a verification system in some countries. This system comes with a warning that states, “If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching.” Netflix will monitor the devices used to sign into accounts and their location.

The company is also upgrading its ad-supported Netflix tier, which was previously limited to 720p. Netflix’s Q1 2023 report revealed that it had added 1.8 million subscribers from January to March, and it plans to improve its ads experience with more streams and improved video quality to attract a broader range of consumers.