It’s Not Me, It’s Netflix: How to boot your friends, with password sharing on the block
It’s not me, it’s Netflix.
As Netflix prepares to crack down on password sharing in the US, people are bracing themselves to have those awkward conversations with friends and relatives.
The popular streaming service will soon start charging customers extra each month to share their Netflix account with someone outside their home.
So how do you break up with your mooching Netflix friends that it’s over?
“Blame Netflix, loud and clear. Blame them again and blame them a third time,” said Jeffrey Hall, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas and a friendship expert.
“It’s not like I’m deleting you from my account because I have someone else or because I don’t like you anymore. It’s Netflix that’s doing it. And we know who to blame makes a big difference in relationships.”
Netflix password sharing was a sign of friendship
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Sharing resources with friends and family is common in cultures around the world, says Hall. “While it’s no extra cost to me, it’s a sign of friendship to share with you,” he said.
According to a 2022 survey by Parks Associates, 40% of consumers in US Internet households share credentials or use shared credentials, up from 27% in 2019.
Family friends share their Disney accounts with Hall so her two children can watch children’s programming. If Disney follows Netflix’s lead, Hall says he’ll thank his friends for their generosity and let them off the hook.
“You are not obliged as my friend to incur additional expenses to me because it is really unconscionable by friendship,” said Hall. “You’re not going to be like, ‘Hey Jeff, pay for my access so I can have it forever.’ Friends don’t do this to each other.”
Did Netflix cancel password sharing?
As subscriber growth slows, Netflix wants to get a little more money from freeloaders. The streaming service is under increasing pressure as competitors grow and people return to their pre-pandemic viewing habits such as commuting and commuting.
The company estimates that about 100 million people watch Netflix using someone else’s account.
So Netflix is starting to restrict streaming access to people living in the same household. Subscribers who want to share their accounts with people outside their home must pay for that access or lose it.
Netflix has introduced new restrictions in countries such as New Zealand, Portugal and Spain, and said changes are coming soon elsewhere.
Netflix subscribers around the world are furious about the new account sharing rule
Netflix executives say they know the new policy will be unpopular and may cause some people to cancel their accounts. It hopes to lure them back with quality content.
But times are not easy for many people. In Canada, Netflix subscribers are being asked to pay an extra $8 per month — $96 a year — when high inflation and interest rates are already straining household budgets.
Canadians have taken to social media to complain about the impact of the new restrictions on college, retired parents and unemployed friends.
How to talk to friends about turning off their Netflix access
Talking about money can be touchy. But the cornerstones of friendship are kindness and forgiveness, says Hall.
“If you approach these conversations that way, it’s probably going to go well,” Hall said.
Janice McCabe, associate professor of sociology at Dartmouth College and author of “Connecting in College: How Friendship Networks Matter for Academic and Social Success,” says to reach out to friends and family first by affirming your connection and letting them know how much you value the relationship. .
“Then you get into the technical details: Because of these new rule changes, you won’t be able to continue using the account,” McCabe said.
You can also use the Netflix policy as an opportunity to propose spending more time together: “Since we can’t keep sharing the way we were, let’s find time to watch our favorite show together.”
“This will lead to more of a personal connection, because you’re watching the show, discussing the show and having these watch parties/get-togethers,” McCabe said. “It can also be a way to reconnect with a friendship or friendship group that hasn’t recovered from the disruption of Covid, or to forge new ties if you’re craving more connection.”
