Netflix password sharing crackdown reaches the UK

24 May 2023, 10:42 | Updated: 24 May 2023, 11:38

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

Netflix sharing password: What are the new rules and how much will it cost?

Netflix password sharing is set to become a thing of the past as the streaming service is cracking down on subscribers.

About a quarter of Netflix’s 15 million users in the UK currently share their passwords with family and friends outside their household, according to research firm Digital-i.

But the streaming company has now sent a letter to almost four million people in a bid to put an end to this.

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So, what do we know about Netflix household sharing and how much will it cost? Here’s what we know...

How will Netflix stop password sharing?

Netflix has already started to trial stricter rules for users in South and Central America earlier, ahead of a worldwide crackdown.

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In a statement on its website on Tuesday, Netflix said: "Starting today, we will be sending this email to members who are sharing Netflix outside their household in the United Kingdom.

"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."

Netflix advises users should check which devices are signed into their account and sign out of devices that should not have access.

If you are worried about other people accessing your account, the streaming service says you should change your password.

How much will password sharing cost?

For anyone who wants to share their Netflix with someone outside their household, there are now two options they can do.

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These include:

• Transfering a profile - Anyone on your account can transfer a profile and create a new membership that they pay for themselves.
• Buying an extra member - You can add an extra household to share your Netflix account for £4.99 per month more.

You now can’t share your Netflix password with anyone outside your household for free.

When the new rules came into force in Spain - charging 5.99 euros (£5.27) for an additional account - it lost more than a million subscribers in the first three months of the year.