by Netflix has announced the end of free account sharing, forcing all users to live in the same residence. However, the statement left a lot of doubt, specifically about the how and why of this new functionality.
In response to SIC Notícias, Netflix Portugal tried to fill in the gaps in the February 8 statement in which it announced the end of free account sharing.
“At Netflix, we’ve always tried to make it easy for people living in the same house to share accounts, so we offer features like different profiles and the ability to watch Netflix on multiple screens at the same time,” they explain.
However, the company says this feature may have been built in “some confusion” to individuals, thinking they might share their accounts with members other than members of the same household.
“Despite their success, these features have created some confusion about when and how to share Netflix. Today, more than 100 million households share accounts — affecting our ability to invest in high-quality shows and movies.” , elements.
But that confusion may even have been caused by Netflix, which, in 2017, said on Twitter: “Love is sharing a password.”
“The service’s Terms of Service have always held that Netflix accounts are intended to be shared with people who live with the account holder [ou seja, na mesma residência]. There has been no change in this regard.”
Financial reasons are the answer as to why, something that has not been unknown in recent times when the platform is canceling many series and there are other streaming services that are becoming more and more competitive.
Does Netflix know our location?
What follows is that, to access the account, you must connect to only one IP address, the same Wi-Fi network, it turns out it is then a stable servicewhich can be viewed on multiple screens simultaneously.
But how does the platform handle this?
“We use information such as IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity from devices connected to your Netflix account – the same information we use to provide our service, which subscribers agree to when they sign up for Netflix. We do not collect GPS data to try to determine the exact physical location of your devices.”
In this way, they no longer have families living apartor students who have to be away from home, with the ability to have the same account with different profiles.
But what about when we travel? Will we not be able to access the account?
The company explains that yes, within a certain period of time and with some steps to consider.
“To make commuting simple and hassle-free, subscribers who have a second home or travel frequently to the same location, they must open the Netflix app on their mobile devices while connected to WiFi at their primary location once per monthand then when they get to the second location,” they explained.
And how do we define primary residence?
Netflix explains that “subscribers will gradually receive details about new ways to share Netflix, inviting them to set their primary location.”
“Subscribers have until February 21 to determine their primary location.. Devices that are not part of a home or primary location will eventually see a message on the product after this date.”
How did we get here?
Before February 8, the platform in the United States of America announced that it was going to implement this new feature in the country. The decision was so contested on social media that the company backtracked.
Despite Portuguese protests on social networks, Portugal, Spain, Canada and New Zealand will also be the new “guinea pigs” of the platform.
The dissatisfaction of the Portuguese subscribers does not seem to have been a cause for concern since then did not respond to SIC Notícias when we assume that the number of deletions will increase.
Similarly, SIC Notícias sought to know whether this new feature would not further damage the finances of the Portuguese, taking into account the increase in the cost of living. Netflix did not respond.
Currently, the packages offered by Netflix are:
- “Base” costs €7.99 per month (one device only)
- “Standard” costs €11.99 per month (two screens at the same time)
- “Premium” costs €15.99 per month (four screens at the same time)
Doubts (which remain) and competition
Despite the platform’s answers, some questions remain. If this condition of sharing the account only with people from the same household has always been the company’s policy, then why is this new functionality only going to be implemented in four countries and not all where the platform exists?
In addition to Netflix, Portugal has access to other streaming platforms such as:
The difference? Everything else allows you to share accounts across different residences and for an unlimited amount of time.
