Warner Bros. Discovery has been shelving whole entire movies to make a buck, so it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that the entertainment giant is hopping onto the latest trend in streaming services: Cracking down on password sharing.
Following in the footsteps of Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+, Max will start limiting the practice later this year, according to WBD Head of Global Streaming and Games JB Perrette.
Via The Verge:
“We’re launching in a bunch of European markets as we go into the second and third quarter,” Perette said. “And password sharing crack down, which, obviously, Netflix has implemented extremely successfully. We’re going to be doing that starting later this year and into ‘25, which is another growth opportunity for us.”
Perette is correct that Netflix found success in converting password shares into account holders despite widespread criticism. That success compelled Disney to follow suit with Hulu and Disney+, which will reportedly begin cracking down on password sharing starting March 14. Accounts who share their passwords will reportedly their streaming service “limited” or “disrupted.”
However, Disney+ also unveiled a plan that will allow users to share their accounts for an extra fee, but it won’t roll out until later this year.
“Beginning this summer Disney+ accounts suspected of improper sharing will be presented with new capabilities to allow their borrowers to start their own subscriptions,” Disney said in a statement to Variety.
Long story short, if you’ve been sharing your streaming password (or using somebody else’s), now might be a good time to look into your own plan because these services aren’t messing around anymore. They want their money, man.
(Via The Verge)
