The days of sharing your Netflix password are coming to an end — Here’s what you’ll have to do instead

If you share your Netflix password with another person, you may have to call a family meeting to tell them things are about to change.

The streaming giant announced from next year having other people on your account may cost you more.

The death of password-sharing has been written on the wall for some time, but that did not cushion the blow when Netflix this week revealed its plans to clamp down on the popular practice.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF PASSWORD-SHARING ON NETFLIX LOOK LIKE?

According to The Verge, Netflix is giving users the option to transfer their profiles to new accounts and will from 2023 allow subscribers to create subaccounts for sharing, which will come at an additional cost.

It has trialed the system in Costa Rica and Peru, where users are given the option to pay for a subaccount if the service picks up someone not in your household is using your account.

In another trial in Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and the Dominican Republic, users were given the option to buy additional “homes” for accounts.

Netflix recently announced an ad-supported tier in an effort to reach more people.

WHEN IS DStv DROPPING PASSWORD-SHARING RESTRICTIONS?

Locally, MultiChoice sparked anger and debate earlier this year when it limited DStv Now streaming to one device at a time.

Speaking to the Sunday Times' Business Times recently, MultiChoice SA CEO Nyiko Shiburi claimed the crackdown resulted in more subscribers for its online content.

He said the service was meant to allow family members to watch different things at the same time in the same house, but had become a problem for the entire industry.

“After we limited the number of streams we have seen an uptick in the take-up of DStv as some of those people who were given passwords came on board,” said Shiburi.

In July the pay TV provider told the Sunday Times it was working on easing the rule for those in the same location.

It said there is no set timeline for implementation of changes since it is exploring its options.

“We are in the discovery phase of this process and will advise customers in due course.

“As it stands, we do not have set timelines for implementation. We are exploring options that will both mitigate the issues of piracy while giving our customers additional viewing options.”