Netflix has started cracking down on freeloaders. The company is slapping charges on users who live in households other than the subscriber (source: Rest of the World). The first victims of these fines are users in Peru, Chile, and Costa Rica. Although the premium can vary between users, an extra member in Peru, for example, can cost the subscriber 7.9 PEN (~₹165). So, this is charged on top of your current Netflix subscription costs.
The company had revealed its plans for a crackdown on password sharing in a March announcement titled, “Paying to Share Netflix Outside Your Household”. Here’s what that said —
Back in March 2022, Netflix presented its concerns with accounts that are being shared between households and how it is impacting its bottom line and growth. So, it suggested, “ways to enable members who share outside their household to do so easily and securely, while also paying a bit more”.
Then it announced that it will test an Extra Member facility with Standard and Premium subscribers in Peru, Chile, and Costa Rica. This allows those Netflix users to add up to two additional people who don’t live with you at the following rates:
Or else, the alternative offered suggested by the company is to transfer those profiles to a new account, which is a way of asking those freeloaders to subscribe to Netflix. A way to attract more subscriptions from markets like Central and South America with the lowest revenue per user (as per Ampere Analysis).
This could slowly expand to other countries like India too, although nothing of sort has been announced by the brand.
Now, the new Netflix plan and the sudden charges have either made some users cancel their Netflix subscription or left some subscribers confused. Some Netflix subscribers aren’t still aware of the company’s decision. In any case, it’s clear that things won’t go as smoothly as Netflix wants.
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