For now, we know that the only measure implemented by Netflix to control password sharing in Italy will be to occasionally request verification of the device you are using.
At the moment, the dreaded paid password sharing measure that has been tested in South America (Chile, Peru and Costa Rica) will not be applied. Yet Netflix is moving on that front as well.
In a statement , Netflix says the South American model has been rolled out to Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain , with more countries coming in the coming months. The text reads: “Our goal has always been to give our members more control over who can access their account.”
As we have already explained in the past , the new procedure provides for the choice of a main location, one’s own home, in which all residents will be able to use their own profile without limitations. Users will then be able to control who can access their account in the “Manage Access and Devices” section.
Users will also be able to transfer their profile to a new account, keeping their settings intact (recommendations, continue watching, saved games, etc.); watch Netflix on the go, on your own devices or by logging into a hotel TV, for example. Finally, those who use the Standard and Premium plans will be able to share the account with up to two people residing in another house at an extra cost, which is currently 3.99 euros in Portugal and 5.99 euros in Spain.
Furthermore, in the press release, Netflix explains the reasons for this new strategy:
We’ve always made Netflix account sharing easy for people who live together, with features like profiles and multiple streams. As hugely popular as these have been, they’ve also created confusion about how and when you can share Netflix. Today, over 100 million households share accounts, limiting our ability to invest in great new TV series and movies.
So, over the last year we’ve been exploring different solutions to this problem in Latin America, and we’re now ready to expand them more in the coming months, starting today with Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain. Our goal has always been to give our members more control over who can access their account.
And finally:
We value our members and recognize that they have many choices when it comes to entertainment. A Netflix account is intended for one household and members can choose from a range of plans with different features […]. As always, we’ll be refining these new features based on member feedback so we keep making Netflix better for years to come.