Yahoo News What are Disney+'s new password sharing rules?
A global password sharing crackdown is expected be rolled out on the streamer by September
Disney+ is following in the footsteps of Netflix by cracking down on password sharing, meaning that people who are using the account of a friend, loved one, or even an ex will have to find alternative ways to watch.
The streaming platform is one of the biggest around the globe, and it is the place to watch the latest Star Wars and Marvel shows, as well as many beloved American hits like Grey's Anatomy and Only Murders in the Building. Disney+ has now revealed new rules going forward for subscribers, detailing what the password crackdown will mean for users and how they will be enforced.
Here is everything you need to know about when the global crackdown is happening and what the new rules will be.
Disney+: What are the new password sharing rules?
Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed in April 2024 that Disney+ will be launching a password crackdown on its streaming service by September. Action will begin to take effect in June in "a few" countries, and it is expected that the "full rollout" will be completed globally in September.
It is currently unclear when this password crackdown will impact viewers in the UK. Speaking to CNBC, Iger said the password crackdown will "turn this business into a business that we feel really good about" as Disney expects there to be a boost in sign-ups following the crackdown.
On 1 November 2023, Disney+ first launched password sharing regulations in Canada. At the time The Wrap reported Iger's intentions for the password sharing lockdown to take effect in 2024. Speaking during a third-quarter earnings call, Iger reportedly said: "We are actively exploring ways to address account sharing and the best options for paying subscribers to share their accounts with friends and family.
"Later this year, we will begin to update our subscriber agreements with additional terms and our sharing policies. And we will roll out tactics to drive monetisation sometime in 2024."
Disney+ previously allowed subscribers to share their password with anyone they liked, however now this will be limited to only those within the same household.
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In the streamer's UK Help Centre, it states: "You may not share your subscription outside of your household", with a household being described as the devices associated with the account's primary personal residence. This means that only people who live in the primary personal residence will be able to watch from the Disney+ linked to that address.
Subscribers will be able to watch it outside of their home so long as the majority of viewing activity is registered as being within the primary personal residence. In new Subscriber's Agreements sent to those registered with Disney+, it now states: "Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Plan, you may not share your subscription outside of your household.
"'Household' means the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein. Additional usage rules may apply for certain Service Plans."
Disney+ will be tracking IP addresses to register where users are accessing the streamer from, which will in turn show which users are based in the main household and which are not. Any users seen to have "violated this agreement" can have their access limited or terminated.
The contract adds: "You will be responsible for any use of your account by your household, including compliance with this section."
At this moment in time, Disney+ has not confirmed whether it will introduce subscription tiers allowing users to pay for multiple accounts from different households.
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