Shortly after it announced that it would be introducing a password sharing ban at some point this year, popular streaming service Disney+ has sent out emails to subscribers saying the new policy will come into effect from March 14, 2024.
The tide has been turning in the world of streaming services recently. Netflix banned password sharing with great success last year, which has now opened the door for the practice to spread across the industry.
Disney+ and stablemate Hulu are now confirmed to be embracing a similar change in policy, with Disney now pinning a firm date on its new restrictions, though less is known about how it plans to measure compliance.
Disney+ Password Sharing Ban Date: When Do the Rules Change?
Disney+ announced in September that the streaming service would ban password sharing in the near future, but never set an official date for the change.
However, as per a new report in The Verge, the streaming giant has apparently confirmed in emails to subscribers that they have until March 14 to keep sharing their passwords. After that, new policy wording banning password sharing comes into effect, with Disney simply saying it will “analyze the use of your account to determine compliance.”
That could mean headaches for frequent travelers or people with multiple residences (poor you…), though we’ll wait until we see the new rules in action before passing judgement.
Hulu is also making similar changing, sending an email to users that the change was coming to their accounts. The following phrasing was found in those emails, acquired by The Hollywood Reporter:
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“Unless otherwise permitted by your Service Tier, you may not share your subscription outside of your household. ‘Household’ means the collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein.”
This change from Hulu was expected, given that the streaming service is owned by Disney, much like Disney+. It also means ESPN+ is likely to enact a similar password sharing crackdown, as it’s also part of the same family.
How Will the Ban Be Implemented?
The biggest question when Netflix started banning password sharing was how exactly the streaming service was going to enforce this new rule. Netflix implemented a home Wi-Fi based solution that prevented devices that haven’t signed into that Wi-Fi in the last month from accessing the service.
However, despite all the new information from Disney in regard to the password sharing ban for Hulu and Disney+, an actual method has not been concretely explained.
Given the fact that Disney owns Hulu and Disney+, it’s safe to assume that the method of banning password sharing will be similar between the two platforms, but we’ll have to wait until March 14th to find out how the mouse plans to enforce this new rule.
The Success of the Netflix Password Sharing Ban
As frustrating as a password sharing ban may be to users trying to keep costs down, the reality is that the train has left the station and there’s no stopping it at this point.
This is largely due to the success of the password sharing ban from Netflix, which saw users prevented from sharing passwords unless a device had been signed into the main home’s Wi-Fi connection.
After the password sharing ban was put in place, Netflix saw an impressive rise in users and revenue. In fact, Netflix users rose by 8%, adding 5.9 million customers to its streaming service in just a single quarter.
All that to say, the days of sharing passwords on streaming services are numbered, so it might be time to pick your favorites before your bill gets too high.
