Sharing passwords of streaming services has become a fairly common practice in India. Due to this phenomenon, the revenue for such streaming services has seen a decline in the long term. One such streaming service, Netflix, took action against this and installed mechanisms to prohibit users from sharing passwords with others. Now, Disney+ is looking to follow in the footsteps of the streaming giant Netflix. As per the official announcement, the complete crackdown against password sharing is expected to roll out by September.
The CEO of Disney, Bob Igor, stated that the full roll out is expected to happen by September 2024. The Disney+ chief noted that the feature will be rolling out in select countries initially in around June, however, a wider roll out will happen by September.
Disney Drew Inspiration From Netflix?
Once Netflix implied this crackdown, a significant amount of new sign-ups were seen after a long time. It is possible that Disney was impressed by these results and then thought of launching its own crackdown in the hopes of achieving similar results.
Netflix started this new rule on November 1, 2023, in Canada by sending a mail to the users in which it briefed them about the new system and explained how from then on they wouldn't be able to share the account with their friends.
Disney+ aims to enforce strict measures to deter users from sharing passwords, with potential consequences ranging from account limitations to outright termination for violators.
Streaming platforms are cognizant of the password-sharing trend, which undermines their potential subscriber base. Under CEO Bob Iger's leadership, Disney+ is intensifying efforts to convert more viewers into paying customers rather than relying on shared accounts.
It remains to be seen which countries will experience this crackdown initially, and whether markets like India will be part of this initiative or remain excluded from the program.