Netflix confirms first anti-password sharing plans – and it's not good news for account sharers

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You'll have to pay an extra fee or risk being blocked

Penn Badgley in You
(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has unveiled its first plans to crack down on password sharing between multiple people in different households.

While the current information is only available – oddly – on Netflix's Costa Rican Help Centre, there is now a new plan in place for those who share passwords (H/T The Streamable). It's unclear if or when these plans will roll out in the United States, UK, and worldwide.

According to Netflix, users will now have one "primary location." Anyone in that one location/household can use that Netflix account.

For those who want to share their account outside of that primary location, they'll need to sign up to Netflix’s 'extra member' scheme. For a small fee, the account owner can pay to add people on to their Netflix account. If they don't register and still log in, the entire account runs the risk of being blocked.

Netflix will now also require users to log in via their primary location's wi-fi and watch something every 31 days. If they don't, it appears that your Netflix account could be blocked. If you're travelling, you can request a temporary code that allows Netflix outside of your primary location for seven days.

"This will not be a universally popular move," Netflix co-CEO Greg said during the company's 2022 fourth quarter earnings interview (via Variety). Peters admits he expects a "bit of a cancel reaction" to the new policy.

TL;DR? It's bad news for those who share accounts across multiple accounts (and countries, with extra members being limited to the primary location's country of origin). The backlash could be strong – but Netflix is seemingly pressing ahead with plans to stop password sharing for good.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.