Netflix recently published a new set of guidelines to solve its password sharing “problem”. According to these guidelines, you would have to connect your devices to the Wi-Fi at your primary location to watch something on Netflix, at least once a month. To set a primary location, Netflix uses “IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity” to figure out if the device is at your primary location. However, it has now released a statement saying that the new guidelines were posted in error, as it was supposed to go live only in specific countries.
As reported by Apple Insider (via The Streamable), a Netflix spokesperson said, “For a brief time yesterday, a help center article containing information that is only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, went live in other countries. We have since updated it”. However, this could mean that it is still going to be implemented in other countries as well, and only the fact that it was posted so soon for other locations was a mistake.
Netflix’s subscriber slump in 2022 was the biggest catalyst in its crusade against password sharing. It lost over one million subscribers in Q2 2022, which was its biggest fall in over a decade. Consequently, it started implementing various methods over the past year to curb password sharing once and for all.
For instance, it introduced a cheaper, ad-supported tier to encourage people to get their own separate accounts. It even introduced new features, where you can now kick freeloaders off your account and also can also transfer your profile to a separate account entirely. However, it seems to be treading carefully with its latest guidelines, considering it requires you to be in one specific location at least once a month, which might not be possible for everyone.
Elsewhere, Netflix is also doubling down on its venture into the gaming industry as it has reportedly been working on a triple-A live service game and is building its own internal games development studio. It is also seemingly working on a Google Stadia-esque cloud gaming service, with a different business model entirely.
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