In a nutshell: Sharing online account passwords with friends and family is something many people do, but not everyone is comfortable with revealing their credentials. Now, a new Chrome extension will allow you to share access to Netflix, Spotify, Disney+, etc. without divulging login details.
The extension comes from DoNotPay, which was behind the AI-powered "robot lawyer" app that helps users contest parking tickets. It can also help refugees apply for asylum protection, aid consumers in suing robocallers, and even 'sue anyone' by "pressing a button."
Once you install the DoNotPay Chrome extension, head to a website you'd like to share with someone. It's then a matter of hitting the DoNotPay icon at the top of the browser and selecting Generate Link, which creates a shareable link that can be sent or emailed. If you're not into sharing passwords freely, an exchange feature lets you trade subscriptions, so you can swap access to an account, say Netflix, for access to someone's Disney+ account.
Recipients of the links need to have the DoNotPay extension installed and will be logged into a sender's account automatically after verifying their identity. As it works by transferring the cookie of a logged-in session, nobody will see your password. The company says (via VentureBeat) it does not store the cookies or have access to them, and that they are encrypted in transit.
While people you share accounts with will be able to make minor changes, such as adding titles to watch lists, they won't be able to change passwords or two-factor authentication details.
DoNotPay creator Joshua Browder said there's no limit on the number of people you can share an account with, though many services do restrict how many devices can stream their content simultaneously.
Most online subscription services' policies restrict the sharing of usernames and passwords, and while DoNotPay isn't technically giving away these details, the companies are unlikely to see it that way.