Netflix Password Sharing Crackdown—New Data Reveals Surprising Truth

The Netflix password sharing crackdown is well underway, despite protests from people across the globe. Netflix’s clampdown on password sharing was not expected to work straight away—even the streaming giant itself expected to see some retraction in user numbers before things grew.

But surprisingly, the mass Netflix exodus hasn’t happened. The latest data on Netflix subscribers from research company Antenna reported by Variety shows the streaming firm is actually seeing an uptick as people create new accounts. The firm began notifying U.S. users on May 23 that password sharing would end and in the following days, it had its biggest growth in sign-ups since January 2019, according to Antenna. In fact, the research showed new user numbers per day surged to 73,000 between May 25 and 28—a 102% increase.

While there was also an uptick in cancellations, it wasn’t bad enough to outshine the increase in subscribers, Antenna data found.

It’s a sad time for many Netflix users who had hoped for a turnaround. That’s right folks, it looks like the Netflix password sharing crackdown is here to stay.

The cost of Netflix password sharing

It came after Netflix revealed the cost of sharing your Netflix account in the U.K. and the U.S. For those who want to carry on sharing their Netflix credentials, the streaming giant added an option called “buy an extra member” costing $7.99 for folks in the U.S. and £4.99 for U.K. users. It’s not ideal but it seems some people have given in and bought an extra membership—perhaps for an elderly family member or kids living away from home.

The other option for Netflix password sharers is to buy a new account. This costs the same as before, with different price points available depending on various factors.

The Netflix password sharing crackdown so far

I’ve been keeping up with the Netflix password sharing crackdown, so check out my article on the subject for everything you need to know. The streaming giant announced the changes last year and said it would implement them by the end of the first quarter. But the end of March came and went, and it looked like there might be a delay to Netflix’s crackdown.

Sadly, the delay was only a couple months, as the streaming giant is increasingly active in ensuring people aren’t sharing their Netflix passwords.

How Netflix knows you are sharing passwords

Now for the million-dollar question—how does Netflix know I am sharing my password? Sadly, the firm will be aware of who is breaking the rules because it collects a ton of data about you. This includes your location so it can see where you typically use your account—as well as if you share it.

Some people were concerned that password sharing didn’t include kids away at college, but Netflix is allowing you to log in from other locations. Your kids will just need to check in at home regularly every 30 days or so to keep the shared Netflix account active.

It’s very early of course, but if this data is to be believed, the end of Netflix password sharing has come. The real test will be when Netflix officially reveals its subscriber data when it shares its results for the current quarter. For now, stay tuned for updates on Netflix password sharing and let me know what you think in the comments.