Netflix’s Profile Transfer Feature
Last year, Netflix announced the launch of Profile Transfer. It is a feature that allows a member on an existing account to switch to a new account without having to rebuild his/her profile. Using this feature would prevent personal data from being deleted.
Today, the company updated this feature to allow transfers to an existing account without having to create a new account. This is a much-requested feature and it is rolling it out today to all global members.
“Starting today, the profile transfer feature has been updated to allow transfers to an existing account (instead of requiring a new account).” – Netflix
Password-Sharing Crackdown
This move is part of the company’s password-sharing crackdown. The new rules will require subscribers to pay $7.99 a month for an additional membership who live outside their main household.
The crackdown met consumer backlash. However, the company reassured investors that a password crackdown would be beneficial to its growth.
Netflix started to test the Profile Transfer in Latin American markets before it expanded to Canada, New Zealand, and various parts of the world.
The company delayed the crackdown as it did not want to affect its net. The company reported a net increase of 1.75 million in the first quarter.
Netflix has already sent out an email to members in the US who share their Netflix account.
Millions Affected
Millions of users have been booted off accounts they shared with their family or friends from different households. Netflix can easily determine your household through the IP address and device information of the primary location where you utilize the service.
If you are connected to the same IP in the past 30 days from that location, then you are considered part of that primary location. You can set your primary location by going to the app’s help menu and following the directions.
Failure to set a household will cause the app to set one for you automatically. If it detects that you are logging into your account that has not been connected to the right IP, your device will be tagged as not part of the primary household. Thus, you cannot log in.
Password sharing has been a common practice among Netflix users. But Netflix has seen revenue loss because of it.
To curb revenue loss, it started to crack down on password sharing. When various individuals utilize a single account, it reduces the number of subscriptions the company can sell.
It affected its bottom line, especially considering the high cost associated with producing and licensing content.
Netflix secures licensing agreements with content creators and providers to offer users a wide range of TV shows, movies, and original content.
The agreements often involve paying significant fees for the distribution rights. With password sharing, it undermines the value of these agreements, as more people access content without contributing to the associated costs.
Cracking down on password sharing also helps enhance account security. Sharing login credentials with others can pose a risk of unauthorized access and potential misuse of personal information associated with the account.
