New rules that would have enforced strict new limitations on Netflix password sharing were posted by mistake and do not apply in the United States. At least for now.
Netflix earlier this week posted its new rules regarding password sharing, which is popular on the streaming service.
In the new rules, Netflix said it will enforce its password-sharing rules by using IP addresses, device IDs, and account activity to determine if a device logged into your account is connected to your primary location.
To ensure uninterrupted access to Netflix, connect to the Wi-Fi at your primary location, open the Netflix app or website, and watch something at least once every 31 days. This creates a trusted device so you can watch Netflix, even when you’re away from your primary location.
If you are away from your primary location for an extended period of time, your device may be blocked from watching Netflix. You can request a temporary access code to continue watching.
Now, those rules have been removed from Netflix’s help pages. According to The Streamable, Netflix says it was all a mistake — at least for the United States, at least for now.
“For a brief time yesterday, a help center article containing information that is only applicable to Chile, Costa Rica, and Peru, went live in other countries,” a Netflix spokesperson told the publication. “We have since updated it.”
Netflix has tested the new policy in Latin America and the streamer says it expects “some cancel reaction” in the markets where paid sharing is imposed. However, it also expects an overall increase in revenue as the “borrower households” opt for standalone accounts.
Password sharing has long been a thorn in the side of Netflix, as password sharing directly affects the company’s profits, and the streamer has been exploring various ways to put an end to the practice. An estimated 222 million paying households share passwords with an additional 100 million households that Netflix definitely wants to collect money from.