Disney+ password sharing crackdown
September 26, 2024
Disney+ is following Netflix in cracking down on password sharing, telling subscribers that people outside their households need to sign up their own subscriptions.
Disney’s streaming service has begun offering users a variety of ‘gift’ options to pay for access to its streaming service on behalf of family members or friends who don’t reside in the same home but were given unauthorised use of their accounts.
“Your Disney+ subscription is meant to be used within your household, which is a collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside there will need to sign up and pay for their own subscription or be added as an extra member to your account for an additional fee,” Disney+ told its subsscribers.
Users who are away from their home or have moved can still access the service by logging in with a one-time passcode sent to the email address associated with the account. The Disney+ paid-sharing features and capabilities launched in some markets during the summer and are available in the US, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
In the US, extra member profile will run an added $6.99 (€6.28) a month for Disney+ basic subscriptions and $9.99 a month for premium subscriptions, according to the company. Disney had allowed just one extra member for each primary account. The extra member option is not available for Disney bundle subscribers or for those billed through third-party providers. Disney+ account holders can transfer an eligible profile to a new subscription or extra member to maintain that profile’s Disney+ watch history and settings.
The company also plans to crack down on password sharing for Hulu and ESPN, with both services earlier this year cautioning US subscribers against sharing their log-in information with those outside their residence.