Streaming platforms Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ will restrict their subscribers from sharing passwords with others beginning next month.
On March 14, there will be more limitations on shared accounts outside of a household. The user agreements that explain the limitations were updated on Jan. 25.
“You agree not to impersonate or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity, including using another person’s username, password or other account information, or another person’s name or likeness, or provide false details for a parent or guardian,” the agreement terms said.
These services are following in the footsteps of Netflix, which cracked down on sharing passwords. Subscribers subsequently increased by over 13 million during last year’s fourth quarter, a record for Netflix, bringing total subscribers to over 260 million.
The news comes after Disney announced that beginning Oct. 12, its streaming service will cost 27% more at $13.99 monthly for its ad-free version. Subscribers on the ad-supported tier will keep the $7.99-a-month price. Even the bundle of Disney+ and Hulu will still only cost $9.99 a month. As a result, in the quarter following the announcement, Disney+ lost approximately 7.7 million subscribers, about a 7.4% decrease from the quarter before.
ESPN+ also increased its price by a dollar after the company announced it would attempt a “cost savings” measure by laying off a number of commentators.
-Washington Examiner
