Introduction
"If you don't live with the owner of this account, youneed your own account to keep watching."
This is Netflix’s message to some users who, according toNetlfix’s estimate, are sharing password of their relatives and friends who maynot be related to the paying owner of the account.
Netflix informed BBC, "This test is designed to helpensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorised to do so."
Is Netflix evil?
Netflix, like any business, would want that each customerbuy its own goods and services and not share among friends and relatives.
The same has been coded in the company’s terms andconditions to which every user has to agree while signing up and on acontinuous basis to keep using the service.
How does password sharing work when every individual has differenttastes and hyper specificity to each viewer’s taste is an inherent characteristicof the OTT (over-the-top) platforms?
These streaming platforms including Netflix, HBO Go, AmazonPrime, and Disney+ allow creation of user profiles within one paying account.
Also read: Kirti Kulhari sleeps at work!
Netflix’s stand on password sharing
The rationale of multiple profiles (and the same wasannounced publicly by Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings) is, "Passwordsharing is something you have to learn to live with, because there's so muchlegitimate password sharing, like you sharing with your spouse, with your kids,so there's no bright line, and we're doing fine as is."
The company however changed its tune publicly three yearslater, when in October 2019, Netlfix’s Chief Product Officer Greg Petersclaimed "big plans to announce at this time in terms of doing somethingdifferently there" regarding the password sharing.
How will Netflix know?
The primary way for Netflix to identify your account asbeing an account that is not paying for its usage is location.
The location of the paying account holder will be used asthe one for deciding who is an ineligible user.
No way out
Considering the way in this day and age how little attentionspan we have and how much addicted we are on our comfort tools (apps likeFacebook, Instagram, Netflix; foods like soft-drinks, pizza; and other things),we all are trapped deep in the daily hit of Netflix.
Further, the tough daily grind of most humans mandates arelease of the day’s stress by watching their favourite Netflix show or movie.
Further, binging is a phenomenon that helps many people killtime.
So, guys and girls, Netflix knows that it has almost everyuser tightly in its grip.
Okay, I will pay, but not much...
Side by side as these tests of limiting non-paying customerswho are not related to the paying customer, a plan for HD (high definition, highquality) streaming at Rs 299 (about USD 4.20) is being tested for streaming oncomputers and laptops.
In addition, a SD (standard definition, low quality) planfor streaming is available for mobiles at Rs 199 (about USD 2.8) per month.This too is nominal considering a monthly data plan on mobile costs the same,and a pizza by Domino’s Pizza costs more than this.
A fine business move by Netlfix?
Firstly let many users freeload on Netflix and get addicted,then begin demanding payment (which is their business and moral right) from customerswho may be misusing the password sharing feature.
When desperation begins to set in, present a nominally chargedmonthly subscription plan in addition to an even cheaper if the customer iswilling to accept SD quality.
I never want to pay for my entertainment, what do I do? Afree trick.
For now, a basic (untested) workaround may be to blocklocation access to Netflix.
Location access may not be an integral permission for therole of an entertainment app like Netflix.
Thus, every individual is well within his rights to blockthe app from accessing location and without location access thispassword-sharing blocking feature may not work.