Netflix Policy Change

Since its release as a streaming platform in 2007, Netflix has dominated the streaming service world, being miles ahead of other services. However, with their recent changes to their password sharing rules, the downfall of the streaming giant may be on the horizon.

With the ability to make multiple watching profiles under one account, it is not uncommon for Netflix users to share their account information with friends and family so they can be under the same account and they can split the monthly or yearly payment for the service. While this is a smart strategy for Netflix’s users, the company obviously loses a lot of potential money when people do this. Although they once seemed to encourage password sharing, even posting jokes about it online, Netflix has finally decided to crack down on people sharing their accounts and have set up new rules against it.

These rules prohibit anyone who does not live in the home that the account is set to from watching from the account. While this may not sound like a big deal at first, this can impact struggling college students and people who travel for work. It could also encourage people who currently share an account to cancel their subscriptions. While this decision might sound smart on Netflix’s end, it is undoubtedly a risky move.

Netflix is still considered by many to be the top dog of all the streaming service options. They carry some of the most popular shows of today’s pop culture, including Netflix Originals Outer Banks, Cobra Kai, and Stranger Things. Netflix has also found more new life in the recent resurgence of older television shows like Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead. However, even with this great lineup of shows and more, Netflix is just old news. Four out of the five of these shows are either done being produced or are in their final seasons, with Outer Banks being the only one without any talks of ending soon. With this in mind, some people may just not want to continue to pay for the expensive service when more and more are catching up to Netflix’s level, such as Hulu and Disney+, both seeming to have more new content and just feel more modern and current. 

Like I mentioned, this move by Netflix is extremely risky, and if they do not play their cards right, it could even be their downfall. Some people are even saying that Netflix is going to become the next Blockbuster, who was notoriously driven out of business after streaming services stepped onto the scene.

While I do think that this rule change is unnecessary, I do not believe it will impact Netflix the way everyone else has been saying. Yes, they may lose a decent number of users, but Netflix has become popular enough on its own that people will still stay subscribed in hopes of more good content that Netflix will surely produce. And, if it ever comes to it, there is no reason that Netflix could not just go back to the old rules to draw people back in. Either way I strongly believe that Netflix will stay afloat through the backlash and will continue to thrive.