New Netflix password sharing crackdown will limit how much you can watch when abroad

Not only will Netflix’s new password sharing crackdown stop you from being able to leech off your siblings, mates and exes, but it will also limit how much you can watch abroad.

Granted, you probably aren’t going to be binge-watching Emily in Paris while travelling the world.

But if you’re on a lengthy business trip or you live in more than one place, you may have to turn to other means to get your streaming fix.

Netflix announced the password policy change last week after years of users being able to shoehorn numerous people onto one subscription.

It’s become quite the issue for the streaming giant, but this is all set to change with the new method, which involves users having to resign into their accounts on a regular basis.

In a report to its shareholders last week, Netflix said: "While our terms of use limit use of Netflix to a household, we recognise this is a change for members who share their account more broadly."

The report continued: "As we roll out paid sharing, members in many countries will also have the option to pay extra if they want to share Netflix with people they don’t live with.

"As is the case today, all members will be able to watch while travelling, whether on a TV or mobile device."

Yevhen Shkolenko/Alamy Stock Photo

But the company appears to have left out a key detail here. You see, users will have to log in on their device from their home WiFi network every 31 days.

So if you’re away from home for longer than a month and you fail to login from your regular spot, you risk being locked out of your account.

The issue was highlighted on Twitter where screenshots from Netflix’s website show that while it has come up with a solution, it’ll only work for one week.

The company states: "Signing into Netflix outside of your home may lead to the device in use being blocked from Netflix."

As for its ‘workaround’, Netflix says that anyone travelling can request a ‘temporary code’ to sign in elsewhere - but this will only work for ‘seven consecutive days’. Womp, womp.

Unsurprisingly, people haven’t taken too kindly to the news, with one writing: "This is crazy… my cousins are in Canada right now and their household is Nigeria cause that’s where they made their account.

"How do they continue to have access to it?"

Twitter

Another said: "So @netflix we can only watch at home is what I’m getting from this. Your team didn’t think this one through, you know how many citizens have different living situations.

"Y’all F’d this one up. Most people want it to watch things on the go. If we can’t do that what's the point?"

While a third added: "This has a real ‘we made poor financial decisions, and now it’s your fault’ vibe."

Others echoed comments made over the announcement of the new policy, suggesting they’re going to unsubscribe from the streamer.

LADbible has contacted Netflix for a comment.