A gag from the “Netflix” network caused panic among its users during the past few weeks, after it announced a campaign to share passwords.
These details of how the password settings work were meant to be just a guide for experiments in the three South American countries.
However, details were erroneously shared publicly with other countries on Wednesday, with the tech giant posting key details on its website this week.
Users discovered the details on technical assistance pages in the US and UK, although they were quickly removed.
New terms for password sharing
In the details, users will have to connect to Wi-Fi networks, in their primary location, at least once every 31 days to ensure that their devices continue to access their accounts on the platform.
On the other hand, devices that are not linked to the main site of the “Netflix” account will be banned, unless the account owner pays an additional amount to increase another member’s subscription.
While the details have been removed from the US and UK pages, they remain on the FAQ pages for Chile, Peru and Costa Rica.
Each “Netflix” account is associated with one “Netflix Household”, that is, the home network and the “Wi-Fi” network of the bill payer, and anyone who lives there can log into it using any device.
Netflix Home
But the new guidelines state that the account must be signed in with a device at Netflix Home every 31 days to convert it to a “trusted device.”
A trusted device can be used to watch Netflix even when you’re away from your home Wi-Fi network.
Devices that log into the account away from the Netflix Household and have not done so in the past month may be blocked from watching Netflix.
And if you’re traveling, you can request that a four-digit code be sent to the bill payer, and when you enter it, you’ll be able to continue watching.
It is noteworthy that “Netflix” currently allows up to five profiles on one account, each of which has algorithmically supported viewing recommendations.
This feature was originally designed so that multiple family members, such as children, could enjoy the content without having to set up their own account and pay the monthly fee.
Same house
For years, its Terms of Service said account users must live in the same household, but it didn’t take any strong action until 2023.
However, she has definitely changed tack since tweeting “Love is sharing a password” back in 2017.
According to the Intellectual Property Office, password sharing on Netflix and other video streaming platforms violates copyright law and is therefore illegal.
However, it is up to the companies themselves to take action through the courts if necessary, and there is no indication that Netflix will attempt to do so.