Netflix clamp down on multiple users

[Kermit power]

Afternoon all,

Apologies if this has already been discussed and I've missed it, but has anyone figured out how Netflix actually expect this to work?

Let's say I have Netflix with separate profiles for each of my kids and one goes off to Uni. In theory, as I understand it, they'd require a sub-account unless they logged in on my home wifi every 30 days, but what's to stop me just going in to their profile once or twice a month at home to reset the clock?

If it's not that, how do they differentiate between me watching at my kid's flat on a visit and them watching?

[rigga]

Limiting to users within the same household, so same internet link I'm guessing.

[Driver101]

They'll know what devices are accessing Netflix. They will know your daughter's tablet hasn't accessed through the home WiFi.

I'm sure they'll click if you're just logging in and out without watching and streaming like normal on another device.

[Kermit power]

Driver101 said:

They'll know what devices are accessing Netflix. They will know your daughter's tablet hasn't accessed through the home WiFi.

I'm sure they'll click if you're just logging in and out without watching and streaming like normal on another device.

My daughter's tablet would access my home wifi fairly frequently though, whereas my parents' BT Youview box never will for obvious reasons, yet Netflix wouldn't have a problem with me using that for access.

Also, how would they record my work laptop, which I only ever use to watch Netflix when I'm away on business.

[gt_12345]

Driver101 said:

I'm sure they'll click if you're just logging in and out without watching and streaming like normal on another device.

So you log in and leave it playing to itself?

[siremoon]

A pretty desperate move imo. These companies have the idea that if they stop account sharing they'll get more revenue because those who can no longer benefit from a shared account will sign up directly World doesn't work like that though and most will just not watch at all and it risks alienating existing subscribers that share if they can no longer do it.

I cancelled my Netflix a couple of years ago because it seemed to me they were concentrating on quantity not quality and filling the catalogue up with junk. That's what they need to address not a futile tinkering with the Ts & Cs which risks even more existing subscribers leaving.

[Dylano]

As with so many commercial entities offering all manner of goods and services they seem incapable of grasping the relatively simple concept of reducing their price point to make whatever they're offering more affordable to a much larger and wider customer base.

[essayer]

If it wasn't for my kids' obsession with Teen Titans Go I would have cancelled it ages ago! Don't remember the last series we actually watched on there

[NDA]

Not sure what happens to those with two properties. Or, as above, if you watch at work too.

[untakenname]

Surprised Netflix been so vocal about doing this in the leadup, they could have easily enabled 2FA which would would have had the same result and could said it was for security.

[Kermit power]

untakenname said:

Surprised Netflix been so vocal about doing this in the leadup, they could have easily enabled 2FA which would would have had the same result and could said it was for security.

I'm not so sure about that. Fine for the first time you log in a device, but what happens if Netflix randomly decides it wants 2FA to be repeated on my home TV whilst I'm away on business and my wife is stuck not being able to confirm it?

On the other hand, my daughter might be asked for it at Uni, the request pops up on my phone whilst I'm not in a meeting, I approve it and she's back in.

[SHutchinson]

NDA said:

Not sure what happens to those with two properties. Or, as above, if you watch at work too.

This is our exact situation. We have all of the smart TV's in both of our houses logged in to the same Netflix account. It'll be a pain driving my TV's around every few months.

[deckster]

SHutchinson said:

NDA said:

Not sure what happens to those with two properties. Or, as above, if you watch at work too.

This is our exact situation. We have all of the smart TV's in both of our houses logged in to the same Netflix account. It'll be a pain driving my TV's around every few months.

As I understand it they are proposing a top-up charge (£2.99 a month or so) for adding additional properties to an existing account.

I can't say I'm over the moon about this but I can't really complain as I currently share my account with my son at uni (which I think is reasonable) and also with my wife's parents and her sister (which really isn't). I also understand why they're doing it as competition is so fierce in the streaming sector now and simple growth in viewer numbers doesn't cut it any more - they actually need to show that they're making money out of viewers as well.

[SHutchinson]

deckster said:

SHutchinson said:

NDA said:

Not sure what happens to those with two properties. Or, as above, if you watch at work too.

This is our exact situation. We have all of the smart TV's in both of our houses logged in to the same Netflix account. It'll be a pain driving my TV's around every few months.

As I understand it they are proposing a top-up charge (£2.99 a month or so) for adding additional properties to an existing account.

I can't say I'm over the moon about this but I can't really complain as I currently share my account with my son at uni (which I think is reasonable) and also with my wife's parents and her sister (which really isn't). I also understand why they're doing it as competition is so fierce in the streaming sector now and simple growth in viewer numbers doesn't cut it any more - they actually need to show that they're making money out of viewers as well.

Well, that sounds perfectly reasonable. I'd much rather pay an extra £2.99 a month to not have to drive home from our weekends away with a load of TV's in the boot.

[shirt]

NDA said:

Not sure what happens to those with two properties. Or, as above, if you watch at work too.

or anyone who works away from home a lot / in different locations.

tbh content has been on the slide for a while now, this could kill it for me.

[Kermit power]

The more thought I give it, the less I can see how they can actually make it technically viable, unless they're able to do it by targeting devices which take up more than a certain percentage of total account viewing time in a given timeframe without ever being at my home address.

As an example, if my Netflix account is watched for a few hours in a month on my parents' Youview box, that's perfectly consistent with me watching something there when I go to visit, but if it's being watched for a few hours a day, it isn't.

On the other hand, it could be perfectly reasonable for me to watch it on a Smart TV in a holiday villa for several hours a day for a fortnight, which is perfectly consistent with me being on holiday, so long as it's not a repeat occurrence.

[deckster]

Am I the only person who's actually read what's being proposed?

• They will track each device by which wifi network it is attached to
• One wifi network is to be designated as the home network
• If a device goes a month without being connected to the home network, it will not be allowed to stream anything
• You can pay a small top-up to designate a second wifi network as being an additional home.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2023/...

[ozzuk]

Kermit power said:

The more thought I give it, the less I can see how they can actually make it technically viable, unless they're able to do it by targeting devices which take up more than a certain percentage of total account viewing time in a given timeframe without ever being at my home address.

As an example, if my Netflix account is watched for a few hours in a month on my parents' Youview box, that's perfectly consistent with me watching something there when I go to visit, but if it's being watched for a few hours a day, it isn't.

On the other hand, it could be perfectly reasonable for me to watch it on a Smart TV in a holiday villa for several hours a day for a fortnight, which is perfectly consistent with me being on holiday, so long as it's not a repeat occurrence.

They don't have to account for every scenario/user to make a difference, for example if you are watching netflix every friday, yet someone else is also using your netflix every friday in a different house (as is very common) that will be flagged.

[anonymous-user]

deckster said:

Am I the only person who's actually read what's being proposed?

This is PH. The percentage of people talking who’ve read what they are talking about will never get into double digits!

[stressfree]

I think a lot of people, who are using friend's account, will turn to torrenting again, once restrictions are enforced. It is much cheaper to pay for decent VPN and download, then pay for multiple streaming services. In the current financial climate, people will be cutting streaming services expenses, apart from Amazon Prime probably.