DISNEY+ has hinted at slapping a ban on password sharing, following in streaming rival Netflix’s controversial footsteps.
Suggestions of the move have already left Disney+ subscribers fuming and vowing to quit the service.
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In a results call, Disney CEO Bob Iger said the company is “actively exploring ways to address account sharing.”
He admitted the number of people sharing passwords across Disney’s services was “significant”, but refused to give an exact figure.
Iger added that Disney “will begin to update our subscriber agreements with additional terms and our sharing policies” later this year and will also “roll out tactics to drive motivation” in 2024.
Netflix rolled out its crackdown on account sharing to the UK and the US (alongside 100 other countries) in late May, becoming the first of the streaming giants to do so.
At the time, many believed it to become a snowball trend among competitors, such as Disney+ and Amazon Prime.
And Igor’s comments today suggest onlookers were correct.
Netflix tracks its users IP addresses (as well as device IDs and account activity) to determine whether viewers are in the same household or not.
The Disney boss, who has stood at the helm for more than 20 years, noted that the company has the “technical capability” to monitor sign-ins.
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“While it is likely you’ll see some impact in calendar 24, it’s possible that… the work will not be completed within the calendar year,” Iger added.
“But we certainly have established this as a real priority, and we actually think that there’s an opportunity here to help us grow our business.”
Subscribers are waiting in the wings to cancel their contracts when the crackdown on password sharing is officially imposed.
“Thx for giving a heads up on when i need to cancel,” one subscriber wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“Just pay your staff, Bob. The greed is on full display” another wrote, referencing the company’s pay dispute with staff, which has prompted a writers strike across Hollywood.
Price hikes
Additionally, Disney announced price hikes for its subscriptions – and a new premium tier – following Spotify’s own cost increases just weeks ago.
All new customers will pay the following rates if they sign up for the streaming service from November 1:
- Disney+ standard (with Ads) – £4.99 a month
- Disney+ standard (without Ads) – £7.99 a month (or £79.90 annually)
- Disney+ premium – £10.99 a month (or £109.90 annually)
Existing customers will automatically be switched over to the premium Tier from November 1 but will need to initiate a move to a cheaper subscription before December 6.
After this date, these customers will be billed the new pricing from their next billing cycle.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
