A few months ago, we reported in the original version of this article that Disney+ was looking into cracking down on password sharing, in a move we said that would probably end up behaving similarly to the way Netflix is doing it.
Today, Disney+ is kicking off its own ban on account sharing by cracking down on users in Canada. Mobile Syrup reports that Disney+ customers in Canada will no longer be able to share accounts beginning on November 1. Subscribers in the region were warned via an email that accounts must remain on devices under a single roof.
The update also reveals that Disney+ may take a look at your activity to determine whether or not you’re complying with the new directive, and can terminate access if there is a violation. The outlet said that users in Quebec are exempt from the password-sharing crackdown until “their next billing date, on or after November 1st, 2023.”
“Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier, you may not share your subscription outside of your household,” the email read, as published by Mobile Syrup. “Household” means the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein.”
Disney did not immediately return Gizmodo’s request for comment on the new policy but back in August, Disney CEO Bob Iger said during an earnings call that the company was “actively exploring ways to address account sharing”. He said Disney would begin updating subscriber agreements with additional terms, which would include sharing policies.
He also said the number of people sharing passwords to Disney+ was “significant” and that the company “already [has] the technical capability to monitor much of this.” It just seemed that the password-sharing crackdown would not occur until 2024.
The decision to curtail account sharing is likely a knee-jerk response to Disney+ hemorrhaging subscribers. The streaming service lost an estimated 2.4 million subscribers in February, with another 12.5 million subscribers leaving the platform in Q2, according to TechCrunch. Most of those subscribers are from India as Disney lost access to Hotstar, which aired cricket games. Even still, 300,000 of those lost accounts were from the U.S.. It’s unclear how many it’s lost from Australia.
As much as I, a Disney+ leecher (thanks, Zac), don’t want to pay for my own Disney+ subscription, I get the password crackdown move.
Netflix kicked off the streaming wars with a groundbreaking idea: What if DVDs but online. Netflix then went out on a limb to try cracking down on password-sharing, amid a tonne of bad press, and anger from subscribers (and those who are friends, family, or ex-partners of subscribers). But…. it’s worked, more or less. So it makes perfect sense the others would try their luck, too.
Currently, a Disney+ subscription will cost you $13.99 a month, or $139.99 a year.
This article has been updated since it was first published.
Image: Disney