NETFLIX is still pushing ahead with its password crackdown, but there appears to be an easy way around the new ban.
However, any work-around tricks are against Netflix rules and could see you blocked from the platform.
1
Alternatively, the streaming giant might swoop in and squash this workaround before it gets too popular.
Many in the UK and the US hoped Netflix had quietly scrapped the decision, after introducing fees for password sharing in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain last month.
However, the streamer announced last week that password sharing will be blocked for users in the US by July.
Netflix is expected to let US customers know an exact date closer to the time.
Under the current rules, Netflix subscribers are not supposed to share their passwords with people outside their household.
Though this hasn’t stopped users from giving their account details to friends and family so they can save cash.
Under the controversial new rule, people on the same plan who live in a different houses will “need to use their own account” to access the streaming platform, the company said in a new FAQ on its website.
The company said that devices detected in other locations “may be blocked from watching Netflix”.
Most read in Tech
This is done by tracking IP addresses, device IDs and account activity.
One trick is to simply connect the device you watch Netflix on to the Wi-Fi of the primary account holder’s location at least once every 31 days to ensure uninterrupted access.
Although there is another trick which works with Netflix’s current set-up, as highlighted by tech site Mashable.
If a device, say a TV or laptop, is logged into the account in a different location, Netflix will require a temporary code that lets users log in at that location for seven days.
“I’ll just say it’s very easy to send strings of numbers to your friends using a smartphone,” the Mashable report wrote.
You may have to do this repeatedly, which might become more annoying than simply paying for your own subscription.
Netflix has stressed that it will not automatically charge users if they share their account with someone who doesn’t live with them.
But Netflix has rules just like any online service and breaking them could see your account locked – or worse, banned.
Best Phone and Gadget tips and hacks
Looking for tips and hacks for your phone? Want to find those secret features within social media apps? We have you covered…
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at [email protected]
