Password penalty: Here’s how to continue sharing Netflix passwords for free
The new price increase for Netflix already has customers up in arms. The popular streaming service has received critical acclaim behind series like Squid Game & Bridgerton. It seems, though, that this newfound fame may be going to their heads.
Netflix is now targeting password sharing as a source of monetization. People are already upset about the price hikes, but now they’re really starting to plot against the service. They’re not angry enough to boycott (yet), but they are looking for different ways to continue sharing passwords.
Jurassic Park’s Dr. Ian Malcolm once said, “Life finds a way.” He was talking about dinosaurs, but it also applies to the people’s will to defy corporations. Here’s how people are finding ways to work the system in response to the price increase for Netflix.
Good
When the prices for a subscription service increase, it sucks. It’s especially difficult when they go up during a global pandemic which makes it hard to maintain or increase income. In 2019, Netflix increased its subscription prices and people barely noticed.
In 2021, however, the price increase spelled big trouble for Netflix. We were just entering the pandemic. People’s incomes were in flux and having to spend money for the simple enjoyment of binging one’s favorite content seemed like a bigger deal.
At the end of the day, Netflix is still a business. Prices go up because the people within that business still need to make money. If monetizing the sharing of passwords allows them to still be shared, then a little price increase can’t be all bad. Right?
Bad
Businesses need to make money and at least Netflix isn’t banning customers from sharing passwords. Yet, monetizing how they share them in addition to a price increase doesn’t look good for Netflix. In fact, it makes them money-hungry & desperate.
It further solidifies just how far removed the streaming service is from its own customers. It doesn’t help that Netflix is also seriously considering introducing ads. Customers are notorious for hating ads, especially when they weren’t there before.
The cherry on top is negative responses to much of Netflix’s original content. Sure, they’ve got shows like Stranger Things bringing in consistent viewers. They’ve also got the persistent threat of a price increase chasing them away. Honestly, it’s just bad business for Netflix at this point.
Ugly
Regardless, customers will find a way to continue sharing passwords. It’d be nice if they felt supported by a streaming service willing to put their needs before personal profit. The lack of permission, though, certainly isn’t a barrier for the more tech-savvy.
They know how to work around any price increase for Netflix. More importantly, they know how to help other customers continue to freely share passwords. The most popular method is publicly sharing account information on hidden websites.
This allows customers to create a communal space dedicated to helping each other in defiance of Netflix. The harsh truth is that customers will support a corporation until it no longer serves them. The transition from friend to foe is quite often all about the money.
Backward
Once upon a time, cable conglomerates like HBO, Showtime, and STARZ made an enemy of their viewers. If you owned a TV, you were paying at least $100-$200 – maybe even more – just to watch your favorite shows. Their price increase paved the way for Netflix.
Unfortunately, it feels like streaming services are returning to those methods. You’re paying for services, but you’re also paying separately for individual channels. While it’s not as bad as cable used to be, it’s giving many people flashbacks to how watching TV used to really break the bank.
Streaming services were the people’s response to expensive cable bills. It seems like now they’re working their way toward being just as pricey. Netflix, in particular, is starting to seem particularly soulless as they hound customers with a price increase for more money. Too bad Netflix can’t monetize the backlash.
