Netflix shares plan to stop users splitting the subscription bill

The streaming service will roll out new rules on account sharing in Australia today in a major blow to thousands of families.

Netflix is cracking down on subscription sharing in Australia with new technology to stop password sharing.

It will be a major blow to the thousands of families who share their login details – and the cost of a subscription – with grandparents, siblings and children who no longer live at home.

An email is due to arrive in the inbox of Netflix subscribers on Wednesday alerting them to their IP address being used to determine whether all of the account users live under the same roof.

If someone is using the account from another location they will be kicked off the account.

A new payment plan will allow users to add an “extra member” to standard or premium plans for an additional $7.99 a month.

Subscribers will start receiving emails this week announcing the crackdown on account sharing. Picture: Netflix

Subscribers will be able to pay an additional $7.99 to allow one extra member to use their account. Picture: Netflix

Up to two users, depending on the plan, will be able to get cheaper access to their own Netflix account on one device in another location.

Netflix brought in the subscription changes in Canada and New Zealand in February.

It prompted backlash from outraged customers on social media and sparked a wave of account cancellations.

However, the streaming service bounced back with subscribers using the “extra member” service and borrowers activating their own accounts.

The same is expected to occur among Australian users with subscribers likely to consider whether the expense is worthwhile with soaring cost of living pressures.

Netflix subscriptions currently cost between $6.99 and $22.99 a month. Picture: Netflix

The monthly price of a subscription in Australia starts at $6.99 a month to watch the service’s movie and TV offerings with advertisements and 1080p video quality.

Users can pay an additional $4 per month for a basic plan without any advertisements and 720p video quality.

At $16.99 a month, subscribers can get ad-free viewing with 1080p video.

Premium subscribers pay a whopping $22.99 a month for the highest video quality including 4K and HDR video.

The incoming changes will bring the cost for premium users up by $7.99 to $30.98 a month.

Originally published as Netflix shares plan to stop users splitting the subscription bill