After months of signaling a tougher stance on password sharing, Max is set to take its first steps toward curbing unauthorized account usage. Starting next week, the streaming platform will begin issuing warnings to suspected password sharers, initiating what Warner Bros. Discovery describes as a phased approach.
At a Wells Fargo tech and media conference, JB Perrette, Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming executive, announced the plan, explaining that Max will employ “early, gentle messaging” targeting users with high levels of account activity that suggest password sharing. While this initial move is more of a soft launch, Perrette confirmed that by early 2024, the platform will introduce an option for account holders to add extra members for an additional fee, similar to strategies employed by Netflix and Disney+.
To identify potential violators, Max will gradually tighten its filters, refining its ability to detect non-household users over time. Although the specifics of Max’s add-on pricing structure haven’t been disclosed, it’s likely to mirror existing models from competitors. Disney+, for instance, charges between $6.99 and $9.99 per month for extra members, while Netflix offers additional slots at $7.99 each.
The streaming industry’s pivot toward cracking down on password sharing has been largely driven by Netflix’s success. Once the company reversed its lenient policy, subscriber growth rebounded significantly. In its most recent quarter, Netflix reported a staggering 282.7 million global subscribers, a five-million-user increase over the prior quarter, along with $9.83 billion in revenue and a 30% operating margin.
The trend is clear: password-sharing crackdowns are now a permanent feature of the streaming landscape. As Max implements its strategy, users should brace for more restrictive account policies, but also new opportunities for sharing through officially sanctioned—and paid—channels.
