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Sharing Netflix accounts between family members, friends, and even exes has been a common practice in the advent of on-demand media streaming platforms. However, this may be over in the near future, at least for Netflix customers, as the company starts testing a new “Extra Member” fee this week.
The company recognized the popularity of this practice but wanted to set the record straight in a blog post on Wednesday. “While these have been hugely popular, they have also created some confusion about when and how Netflix can be shared,” Netflix director of product innovation Chengyi Long said.
Currently, each Netflix subscription tier has a limit on the number of screens that can use the streaming service simultaneously and the number of devices that can download content for offline viewing. But the blog post seems to clarify that it does not mean subscribers can share their accounts with anyone.
Simply put, Netflix is saying accounts should be shared by people in the same household. That appears to indicate that Netflix only wants its customers to share viewing privileges with their family members or their friends in the same residence, but not to anyone living in a separate household.
The new payment scheme is being tested in Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru. Netflix subscribers with Standard and Premium plans in the said countries can add up to two additional accounts for people living in a separate household. Each sub account will cost an “Extra Member” fee of 2,380 CLP (~2.98 USD) in Chile, 2.99 USD in Costa Rica, and 7.9 PEN (~2.12 USD) in Peru. Every paid sub account has a separate profile and login credentials, as well as personalized recommendations.
The announcement comes a few months after Netflix raised subscription prices in the United States, where the Basic, Standard, and Premium plans now cost 9.99 USD, 15.49 USD, and 19.99 USD. The company was also quite forthcoming on what motivated them to test the Extra Member fees as Long stated the long-running practice of account sharing has impacted their “ability to invest in great new TV and films for our members.”
Photo by Thibault Penin on Unsplash
