Netflix users are taking to social media to vent their rage following the streaming service’s crackdown on password sharing.
Some Netflix are now seeing a screen saying ‘If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching’.
They’re then prompted to enter a code that’s been texted or emailed to the account owner to continue – which could cause a problem if they’re not in contact with them.
Viewers can delay the verification and keep watching Netflix, but may see the alert again next time they open the app.
Those Netflix users who have seen the alert have been going into meltdown on Twitter, with one saying rival Disney+ had ‘won the streaming wars’.
However, security experts have applauded the move for promoting online safety, by reducing the likelihood that credit card details could fall into the wrong hands.
According to a 2019 study, Netflix, which has just implemented a price hike, may be losing out on up to $192 million worth of revenue each month from password sharing.
The test comes shortly after Netflix hiked up its subscription fees by up to £24-a-year.
The firm announced it was increasing its standard package – which allows two screens to access an account, as well as HD – by £1 per month, from £8.99 to £9.99, in January.
About 33 per cent of Netflix users share their passwords with at least one other person, according to research firm Magid.
With this initiative, Netflix seems to be encouraging users to pay for their own account – potentially leading to more revenue for the company.
One critic on Twitter said: ‘They’re getting too greedy… on top of raising prices for mediocre content… if they continue doing this they’re gonna crash.’
Another said: ‘Imagine logging into your friend’s account and Netflix saying move in with them or get a job.’
Another bitterly tweeted: ‘For a streaming service that keeps some good stuff up for like 2.2 minutes they got a lot of nerve.’
Someone else pointed out that the backlash could drive people off the service: ‘This is stupid and unnecessary, you are going to harm your company by doing stupid s**t like this,’ they tweeted.
Netflix, the world’s largest streaming service with 200 million global subscribers, is known for hit shows like The Crown, Bridgerton and The Queen’s Gambit, all fuelled by its own production company.
However, it’s increasingly facing competition from the likes of Dinsey+, which rolled out a new channel last month featuring a wide range of content for older viewers and show it’s not just tailored for children.