Netflix to block devices that don't log in monthly, more premium perks added

[Daniel Sims]

WTF?! Netflix has warned subscribers of an impending crackdown on password sharing. Simultaneously, Netflix is trying to push more users onto its premium tier. Its newly revealed solution seems surprisingly harsh and could complicate the service for many users.

Netflix subscribers in three Latin American countries can now read the details on the company's new restrictions to prevent password sharing. The new conditions appear on the Netflix help center's page on sharing accounts only when the country selector is set to Chile, Costa Rica, or Peru. The company hasn't elaborated on plans to expand the new policy globally.

From now on, devices logged into Netflix must check in from the account holder's IP address once every 31 days. Additionally, the service will immediately block any new devices that try to log in from a different IP address.

If a device in the account owner's household is blocked – perhaps a subscriber who doesn't stream on all of their devices every month – logging in again from the home network should unblock it. If it doesn't regain access, users can go to the settings and navigate to Manage Primary Location->Troubleshoot This TV. From there, they can scan a QR code with a smartphone to unblock the device.

The streaming service offers methods for registering a device while traveling and avoiding getting blocked. Users can log in on their phone, tablet, or laptop before leaving to report it as trusted. For those wanting to watch from a stationary device like a hotel room TV, subscribers can request a seven-day code they can receive via email or text. Users who are away for over 31 days can no longer use Netflix.

Since last July, Netflix has charged extra for customers in certain Latin American countries who want to share their accounts with users outside their homes. However, the additional fee costs less than a separate first-tier Netflix subscription. Last October, the company started letting viewers transfer their profiles to new accounts to encourage more users to pay subscriptions instead of sharing.

Alongside the new rules, Netflix announced that it expanded the number of titles that support spatial audio, but only for customers on the highest subscription tier. The service first introduced spatial audio on Apple devices using Apple Spatial Audio in 2021, then extended the feature to all devices the following year using Sennheiser's AMBEO technology.

This week, Netflix gives premium subscribers access to its protocol – Netflix Spatial Audio – on over 700 titles like Stranger Things, Wednesday, and Glass Onion. The technology will also feature in future programs like Luther: The Fallen Sun and Tour de France.

It has also expanded the number of devices premium subscribers can use offline from four to six.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/97461-netflix-block-devices-dont-log-monthly-more-premium.html

 

[NicktheWVAHick]

What if you own multiple mega-mansions, like our elected government officials? Do you need 5 subscriptions?

 

[Godel]

What if your method of internet access has a dynamic IP address every time you log on?

 

[ZedRM]

The idea of Netflix blocking devices not normally used is a violation of basic rights to access.

 

[PEnnn]

I guess Netflix never had a user who uses a VPN and sets to the best latency which has a different IP each time??

 

[Jrfeimst2]

I travel to my parents often to help out and watch Netflix regularly there. If Netflix is trying to tell me I can’t use my account at their place when I am visiting then yeah screw you Netflix.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Netflix is used on the main TV and my computer, the other devices (iPads, laptops, kid's TVs or the basement TV) maybe connect to Netflix a couple times a year. If it becomes a hassle to connect to Netflix it will be the straw that finally breaks my back on canceling my subscription.

As it stands, the only reason I keep it is because my 10 year old mainly uses it for watching kids shows he likes. My daughter rarely uses it, my wife goes on there maybe once or twice a month and I check it out about every other month to see if anything new and worthwhile has come along to watch (usually the answer, for me, is nothing worthwhile).

 

[MaXtor]

Now imagine if they cancelled inactive accounts. A few years ago I unknowingly paid monthly for a Netflix account that I hadn't used in 2 years. I contacted support to request a refund as they knew full well the account was completely inactive. They gave me a refund for 1 month.

 

[Neatfeatguy]

Now imagine if they cancelled inactive accounts. A few years ago I unknowingly paid monthly for a Netflix account that I hadn't used in 2 years. I contacted support to request a refund as they knew full well the account was completely inactive. They gave me a refund for 1 month.

If you signed up for a gym membership, used it for a while and slowly stopped going and forgot to cancel your membership for the next 2 years.....I bet you'd expect to get a refund for those years you never went.

The problem is, your membership you paid for, the company provided you with access to the service you were paying for. It's not their fault you're too forgetful to stop the reoccurring fee. They did what they were obligated to do when you paid them, provide you with access to their services, they owe you nothing in return.

 

[Eldritch]

What if your method of internet access has a dynamic IP address every time you log on?

Must be a combination of IP and HW id I.e. even if IP changes the relevant HW id will be marked as active. Pretty easy to pull off as there will be atleast one base device but doing so is dickish and just asking the people to leave, downgrade or even pirate.

 

[MaXtor]

If you signed up for a gym membership, used it for a while and slowly stopped going and forgot to cancel your membership for the next 2 years.....I bet you'd expect to get a refund for those years you never went.

The problem is, your membership you paid for, the company provided you with access to the service you were paying for. It's not their fault you're too forgetful to stop the reoccurring fee. They did what they were obligated to do when you paid them, provide you with access to their services, they owe you nothing in return.

Funny. I'm a business owner that operates a subscription based online service. We regularly refund any inactive accounts upon request. We're not providing a service when the user is completely inactive. But sure, regurgitate the standard pitch of any company trying to take advantage of you.

 

[Darth Shiv]

What if your method of internet access has a dynamic IP address every time you log on?

Like wireless internet... or connection bonding (multiple services merged).

 

[Darth Shiv]

The solution to their problem is to force everyone to unsubscribe? Interesting...

 

[m4a4]

Boy, they're really trying to kill whatever good sentiment was left for them at this point.

Nothing like punishing legit users to try to squeeze as much out of them as you can...

 

[dualkelly]

Annnnnd this is why people pirate... its not rocket science.

 

[whateversa]

My home IP changes multiple times per day (1000mbps fibre).

 

[whateversa]

Now imagine if they cancelled inactive accounts. A few years ago I unknowingly paid monthly for a Netflix account that I hadn't used in 2 years. I contacted support to request a refund as they knew full well the account was completely inactive. They gave me a refund for 1 month.

They still have to provision all the infrastructure and licensing to be sufficient to cover ALL users - they don't know if you are planning to watch Netflix again in a few days... thats your responsibility to cancel. They cannot know your intent. As long as you are paying, they ensure they can provide.

 

[brucek]

My home IP changes multiple times per day (1000mbps fibre).

That's a little weird - wouldn't that drop active connections when it happens? Why would your provider do that? I understand few consumers have true static IPs but there's a big difference between your IP may change a few times a year and often during a service window anyway vs it perpetually rotating throughout the day while you're trying to stay on a videoconference call.

 

[brucek]

I don't think it's that unreasonable for Netflix to ask each household to pay for their own account. Figuring out the logistics may have taken / take some effort, although if they can reliably recognize most of the devices that connect (through some sort of hardware id) then keeping up with changing home ip addresses automatically may work smoothly enough for this to be transparent for most users.

Also, re: the headline, asking a device to log in again is not the same as blocking it, and that goes double or triple if using the previous credentials is automatic or easy. Despite all the skepticism here I think them going forward with this means they think they've nailed the logistics to the point where the true legit users are not likely to notice the difference very often if ever.

 

[kiwigraeme]

I have a dynamic IP like those above - my Chrome stores next to nothing - so if I log onto . Steam , Netflix etc it's always a "new" device if I reboot , close down chrome completely - so Netflix makes me jump some extra hurdle if I choose to watch on this PC after awhile.
Saying that I'm not too worried as there will be lots of annoyed people before it hits me

 

[brucek]

I have a dynamic IP like those above - my Chrome stores next to nothing - so if I log onto . Steam , Netflix etc it's always a "new" device if I reboot , close down chrome completely - so Netflix makes me jump some extra hurdle if I choose to watch on this PC after awhile.
Saying that I'm not too worried as there will be lots of annoyed people before it hits me

If you've really got your browser set up so it will not store cookies, or local storage, or passwords, or use a password manager (and it's not easy to set Chrome up like that and keep it like that), then you're probably already used to having to manually log into a lot of sites by typing a password. Which you could do for Netflix just as well.

But Netflix could be even more sophisticated than that if it needed to. Even with all of that turned off, browsers can often be fingerprinted down to a small bucket of users based on a couple dozen individually non-unique device characteristics reported back via various APIs. Netflix's protection algorithm might end up noticing that while your IP address changed, your browser fingerprint did not, and your new IP is still from the same provider in the same geographic area, and that no other device or at least none of your known devices is using your old IP either, and decide to let you slide for a while -- or to accept your new IP as valid for your account.

 

[kiwigraeme]

If you've really got your browser set up so it will not store cookies, or local storage, or passwords, or use a password manager (and it's not easy to set Chrome up like that and keep it like that), then you're probably already used to having to manually log into a lot of sites by typing a password. Which you could do for Netflix just as well.

But Netflix could be even more sophisticated than that if it needed to. Even with all of that turned off, browsers can often be fingerprinted down to a small bucket of users based on a couple dozen individually non-unique device characteristics reported back via various APIs. Netflix's protection algorithm might end up noticing that while your IP address changed, your browser fingerprint did not, and your new IP is still from the same provider in the same geographic area, and that no other device or at least none of your known devices is using your old IP either, and decide to let you slide for a while -- or to accept your new IP as valid for your account.

I didn't really go out of my way to make it hard for myself - Any "remember me on this device" will not work - when PC reboots etc . However if Google senses a password - not always it will give option to makeup hard password - Google will also remember passwords on my "who cares' list if triggers the save or not save dialogue.
Don't think it's Privacy Badger - maybe I ticked a box in google settings clear all cookies on close down .
Still keep history , bookmarks , saved passwords on not important sites .

Just checked my Chrome settings- have turned on both below :
https://www.techspot.com/community/chrome://settings/help

Clear cookies and site data when you close all windows
When on, you'll also be signed out of Chrome

Send a "Do Not Track" request with your browsing traffic

 

[Sir Alex Ice]

My ISP asigns me a new adress every time the router reboots/restarts, so basically every day. Which of the 31 IPs in a month would be the owner's IP?

 

[mbk34]

I'd of thought the best way for Netflix to stop people sharing accounts is to just keep the paid for content as a simple click. That would mean it would come out of the original account if anyone (you lent the password to) clicked that paid for content. That would certainly make me think twice before sharing!

 

[Badvok]

If this really works as described, the first time I'm on a train and unable to access my Netflix will be the trigger to cancel my subscription.