Netflix's plan to block shared accounts will still take months

Although Netflix already announced its plans to fight against shared accounts between people who do not live in the same household, in recent days this movement has seemed closer than ever.

The tool, in fact, is already being tested in some countries such as Chile, Costa Rica or Peru, although in the form of a higher subscription that does allow for communal use.

More countries will join these in the coming months.

But for now, it won't block an account that shares the password.

What has happened?

A rumor spread that Netflix would start blocking these accounts.

It all started when the specialized website

published a story, which was later picked up by a multitude of media, in which it claimed that the company had shared the first details about the operation of its measures against password sharing.

But, in reality, it was an update - which has since disappeared - from its frequently asked questions section in the United States.

This content never appeared in Spain.

Does Netflix allow sharing passwords?

Yes, although in theory it should not be done between people who do not live in the same house.

Except for the aforementioned Chile, Costa Rica or Peru, where shared plans do exist, which have an additional cost, the service specifies that "a Netflix account is intended for people who live together in a single household."

In other words, nothing happens if two people who live together each have their own profile or share the same profile on different devices while they live together.

But, in theory, the company does not allow the -extended- practice of paying a bill between two or more people who do not share a roof.

What happens is that they usually do not take action or, if they do, they are not expeditious.

In addition, if the system detects that you are logging in "from a device that is outside your home or you start to use that device frequently" it can ask the user to verify it before using it or to change the Netflix home -that says that this place is the 'house' in which the subscription has been contracted-, but then you only have to enter the code sent to the email or telephone associated with the account on the suspicious device.

It is a kind of two-step verification that also serves to prevent a person from using an account without the owner's permission.

What can Netflix do if I share an account?

According to the since-deleted post, you'll be able to block the account, though "you won't be automatically charged if you share your account with someone who doesn't live with you."

But, if someone connects with this profile "from a device that is not part of your primary location", the content of the platform on that terminal could be blocked.

If this happens, a temporary code can be requested to watch Netflix on it for seven days in a row, in cases where the person is traveling... or a platform account.

How can you prevent a device from being bricked?

It is something that should not happen if there are no uses that the company considers fraudulent.

As explained in the deleted FAQ, to ensure access to Netflix, you must connect the device to the WiFi network of the main location -that is, at home- and open the application or web page to view content at least once every 31 days.

In this way, the device will become a 'secure' one that the firm will detect as legal even if it is connected from another location.

How will you detect who lives together?

As they explain, they use "information such as IP addresses, device identifiers, and account activity from devices connected to the Netflix account" to detect that the devices are in the same household.

This is strengthened with the monthly connection from what it detects as home.

When will shared accounts arrive?

At the moment it has not been announced, but the company has shared that throughout this quarter it will extend the test to additional countries.

These subscriptions are priced higher than the current ones, which range from 5.49 euros per month (basic plan with ads that does not include all movies and series) to 17.99 euros per month (Premium plan with up to four simultaneous devices that , yes, they should -in theory- share a home).

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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