Disney Officially Launches Password-Sharing Crackdown With Paid Sharing Program

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As a long-time Disney enthusiast with a family of five and a budget that’s often stretched to its limits, I must admit I’m finding myself at a crossroads with the recent Disney+ account sharing crackdown. Growing up, my siblings and I shared everything from toys to clothes, and now it seems we’ve moved on to streaming subscriptions.

Starting this week, Disney has begun enforcing its policy against unauthorized password and account sharing for its services globally, introducing what they call their “paid sharing program.

Earlier this year, the company hinted at changes during its earnings calls, and with the recent launch, they now have a formal strategy and action plan to encourage users who share accounts to switch to individual subscriptions instead.

The blog post published on Wednesday reveals that Disney+’s paid sharing program offers two choices for users: If you’re sharing your account with someone who lives outside your household, you can designate them as an “Extra Member” for either $6.99 a month for the Basic plan or $9.99 a month for Premium, which is less than the standard price. Each account can only have one Extra Member, and it’s not included with the Disney Bundle package.

Furthermore, multiple users who share an account have the option to individually subscribe to Disney+ as well. They can then move a qualified profile to their personal account, preserving their viewing history and preferences.

Based on the guidelines provided by Disney+ Help Center, “Disney+ will automatically identify and set up your Household using factors like subscription activity, connected devices, internet connection, and more.” If it appears you’re watching Disney+ from a location outside your household, you might be required to input a one-time verification code. This is either to confirm that a new location is being added to your household or to indicate that you’re traveling away from home.

The clampdown on shared accounts coincides with Disney+ preparing to increase prices for many of its subscription plans next month, along with a host of high-profile releases such as “Agatha All Along” and the premiere of “Inside Out 2” on our platform.

Netflix initiated a clampdown on password sharing around last year, which proved to be highly effective as the number of cancellations remained relatively low according to executives. In a similar vein, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max has announced plans to follow suit and tackle password sharing issues later in 2023.

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2024-09-25 20:25