Netflix testing security to limit password sharing

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Ye be warned those who share their Netflix password with family and friends.

In the past week, Netflix has launched a new test that displays a warning to some users that says, “If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching.” In other words, it may soon be time to have an awkward conversation with your parents, close friends, or your ex about continuing to share your Netflix log-in information. According to Netflix's terms of service, access to your sweet account “may not be shared with individuals beyond your household.”

While these warnings are typically easy to ignore, Netflix is testing their ability to get in your face about sharing your account with others by instituting a prompt that provides users with three options: Receive an email or text verification code to authenticate the account, or click on a button that says “Verify Later.”

“This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so,” a Netflix rep said in a statement.

The test is being rolled out in multiple countries but only on TV devices so far. For the moment, it's unclear as to what prompts the test, be it specific account activity or otherwise. Netflix maintains that the purpose of the test is to keep customer credentials from being stolen, though I'm sure that isn't the only reason. Nearly 40% of Americans say they use a streaming login and password that doesn’t belong to them – and roughly a third do so without the permission of the registered user. Meanwhile, 51% admit to letting others use their account, with 72% of that amount being linked to Netflix users. This is all according to a new LendingTree survey of 1,500 consumers. So, yeah, there's a whole lot of sharing going on.

If you're one of the many customers that are willing to share their Netflix log-in information with others, you might want to think twice about continuing that practice. I say this because this test may only be the tip of the iceberg. Ye have been warned, Netflix subscribers. Maybe think twice before you let your niece or nephew watch their favorite show on your account. They're crackin' down, man!