Netflix extends a crackdown on password sharing to more countries

After announcing its plan to prevent its customers from sharing their accounts with friends and family,

Netflix started to trial new changes to password sharing in several countries from Latin America, including Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Argentina, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic.

Subscribers in those countries are being asked to pay an extra fee if they want friends and family who don’t live with them to have access to their accounts.

The move follows a crackdown on sharing passwords in South America and will extend to many more countries by the end of March.

Netflix says that 100 million people around the world are sharing accounts, and that this is impacting its ability to invest in new TV and films.

Netflix said members in Canada, New Zealand, Spain and Portugal would now be asked to set up a “primary location” for their account. Anyone who lives in their household can use their Netflix account.

For CAD$7.99 Canadian subscribers can add an extra member as a “sub-account” the blog said. In New Zealand, the fee is NZ$7.99. In Portugal, the fee is €3.99 (£3.54) and in Spain it is €5.99 (£5.32).

Don’t worry, even after setting your primary location, you will still be able to watch Netflix on your personal device or log into a new TV when you’re not at home.

The most important part of these changes is the option to buy an extra member. To continue to share your account with others, you will have to pay for each extra member who uses your account.

Netflix customers subscribed to either the Standard or Premium plan and live in one of the four countries mentioned can add an extra member sub-account for up to two people they don’t live with.

On Contrary,

Reed Hastings is stepping down from his role as co-chief executive of Netflix, the firm he helped found more than 25 years ago.

His announcement came as Netflix unveiled a big rise in subscriber numbers at the end of last year.

With money tight, people were expected to cut back on streaming services.

But Netflix bucked that trend, adding more than seven million new subscribers, far more than analysts expected.

"Incoming Co-CEO Greg Peters will have a number of major decisions on his plate from managing high levels of expenses, password sharing, and cracking the code to find the next Stranger Things."

Revenue rose to $7.9bn (£6.37bn) in the fourth quarter. However, profit was lower in this quarter than in the same period a year earlier, and profit for the year as a whole was down from 2021. Although Netflix remained "ahead of its competitors" on profitability, said Ms. Reese.

Meanwhile,

Netflix is hiring a flight attendant for one of its private jets - with the successful applicant being paid as much as $385,000 (£313,538) a year.

"The overall market range for this role is typical $60,000 - $385,000. This market range is based on total compensation (vs only base salary), which is in line with our compensation philosophy," Netflix said in a job listing on its website.

The role - based in San Jose, California - requires travel in and beyond the US.

"The Netflix Aviation department provides exceptional, safe, confidential air transportation," it said.

The advert added that the team "helps Netflix reach the world more efficiently and effectively so the company can continue to create joy around the world."

In November, it introduced a cheaper ad-supported option in 12 countries, including most of Europe, the UK, and the US.