Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown expanded to new countries earlier this year, and some signs suggest it might have backfired – with over 1 million Spanish users quitting in the first few months of the year.
Spain, Canada, and New Zealand were among the new regions to be hit by new Netflix password-sharing rules back in February 2023. In the affected countries you can no longer borrow a friend or family member’s account to binge Netflix shows and films unless you live with them – or pay an extra member fee.
According to Bloomberg (opens in new tab) reporting, this unpopular change has resulted in many subscribers ditching the platform – including roughly one million Spanish users that decided that Netflix is no longer the platform for them following the crackdown.
Despite this looking like good news for opponents to the wider-reaching Netflix rules change expected by June 30 – which is due to finally impact US subscribers – we have some bad news: Netflix saw this mass cancellation coming, and it already knows it’s only temporary.
Like a boomerang, Netflix knows we’ll return
When the streaming service rolled out its password-sharing rules in South America in 2022 many users in the four affected regions abandoned the platform initially too. But it turns out this is a habit we struggle to quit – with Netflix claiming it saw an eventual uptick in subscribers and paid extra members signing up when the initial backlash calmed down.
As much as we hate to admit it, that new season of Bridgerton / Stranger Things / Squid Game / (insert your favorite best Netflix show here) is too enticing; even if it’ll cost us more to watch it following the rules change, we're generally willing to cough up the cash so we don't miss out on the must-see TV.
It’s yet to be seen if this trend will continue as Netflix expands its password-sharing rules, but Netflix is clearly betting that the vast majority of people threatening to leave and never come back are bluffing.
If you’re unsure whether you should stick by Netflix or abandon it before the June 30 password-sharing rules rollout check out our “Should you cancel Netflix?” guide for our thoughts.
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