Netflix intensifies fight against account sharing

Netflix is tightening its grip on shared accounts. In the future, each profile within an account will be linked to its own email address. While presented as a practical innovation, it primarily targets households that share a subscription – however, the new hurdle isn't particularly effective.

For years, Netflix has been trying to prevent the sharing of login credentials across household boundaries. After address verification and paid additional users, the next step is now underway: As the tech portal CNET reports, the streaming provider requires that each profile within an account be assigned its own email address. The rollout has been underway for about two weeks.

A separate email address for each profile

At the beginning of the month, some users received an on-screen notification prompting them to link their profile to a unique email address. This is presented as a convenience feature, promising easier login and more personalized recommendations. However, the intended target is likely someone else: as observers have noted, the request is specifically aimed at accounts with multiple profiles, such as those typically found in shared households. Having a separate email address for each profile makes it more difficult to discreetly run a single subscription across multiple separate parties.

The long fight against shared accounts

The approach isn't new. Back in 2022, Netflix began curbing password sharing by requiring all account users to reside at a single email address. Users outside the household could be added for an additional fee. To detect unauthorized access, the provider has since combined IP addresses, device identifiers, and account activity. This model has been in place in the US for about three years; the new email requirement is the latest addition to this strategy.

Loopholes are quickly found

As effective as the measure appears, it's easily circumvented. With Gmail, simply adding a plus sign to the end of the username, such as name+netflix [at] gmail.com, is enough to create any number of address variations, all of which end up in the same inbox. Alternatively, free disposable email addresses can be created. Another common trick is simply to briefly disable Wi-Fi when opening the app and then re-enable it to bypass the authentication prompt. For Netflix, this means that while the new hurdle will likely slow down casual users, it's unlikely to deter tech-savvy account sharers. (Image: Shutterstock / Samuel Boivin)