Here’s how you can cheat the new Netflix password sharing rules
Is password sharing on Netflix illegal? Password sharing has become increasingly rampant in recent years, with users taking advantage of services like Netflix & Hulu to gain access without actually paying for a subscription. But how? and still, is it illegal? The short answer is yes, but there are some nuances to the issue that make things a bit more complicated. Nothing as good to be true can be that easy!
The postmodern basic basket definitely includes more than one streaming platform, which is why getting one for free is more than necessary. Each time our favorite movies & TV shows get strategically redistributed on several platforms, which makes it almost impossible to access all under a subscription. Aside from dealing with a platform exchange with friends and using free streaming sites, this hack is everything.
First of all, it’s important to understand certain things regarding this practice in order to keep it legal. Do have in mind that password sharing isn’t technically considered “theft” and no one is committing a crime by sharing their login information with others. In fact, further, than a crime it’s truly an act of love & generosity, yet, not to the service companies. Here’s why.
Password sharing: risky terrain
As we mentioned before, password sharing is honestly saving the lives of several that do not have the possibility to subscribe to all streaming platforms. Nevertheless, Netflix does not like this and will take action, anyway, it was somehow predictable that this day would eventually come. Netflix will no longer allow you to be sharing your account with friends & family, but how?
Netflix representatives have outspokenly said they prefer for accounts not to be shared and for users to pay for their own account or not stream at all instead. Can you believe it? Mr. Netflix, the whole point of sharing passwords is not hiring a subscription! Rumor has it the streaming platform has plans to crack down on this dynamic and has even talked about charging per extra user!
We now know how the company plans to roll out these changes in the U.S., and it’s a little different than expected. Apparently, Netflix is planning on reducing account usage exclusively to people who live together in a single household. We still don’t have an exact timeline for when these new policies get officially activated, yet you can already consult the “Sharing your Netflix account” Help Center page. This will give you some detail on how the policy will work.
How to share passwords now?
You might be wondering how to share your password now, or even worse, would it make you a criminal? Well, in very strict terms, password sharing under these new conditions would violate the terms of service in both streaming services. This means it would make it illegal from a civil standpoint and would leave users exposed to potential lawsuits from companies.
Yet, in order to get official consequences, companies would need to prove they lost money as a result of someone else’s access. The good news is that most streaming services have yet to take legal action against users found guilty of sharing passwords illegally. This means that at least for now, you can share your login information with friends and family without too much worry about repercussions.
In order not to find yourself caught up in a copyright infringement lawsuit related to password sharing, be sure to read up on the terms of use before giving out any personal information. Ultimately, password sharing on streaming services like Netflix should not be seen as an act of theft or wrongdoing. However, keep your passwords safe and use them responsibly!
