At a time when competition between streaming services is increasing, it’s hard to imagine any of the streaming giants issuing a strict policy. Still, a new Netflix politics Preventing password sharing has been the focus of much backlash over the past few days — particularly from college students. This directive has been implemented in various countries so far and universal implementation seems imminent.
The specific aspect of this policy, which caught the attention of students at the university and across the country, requires users to register their devices with a home address and then check in at the provided address every 31 days. If someone doesn’t have the option to check in at the address provided — or if someone just wants to share their account with someone who doesn’t live with them — they’ll be charged a fee for any additional off-home profiles.
Third-year architecture student Mikaela Gustitus expressed her unlikelyness to use the service after the policy was published.
“I don’t go home every thirty days because I’m in Wisconsin, so I guess I wouldn’t use it at all,” Gustitus said. “It’s so inconvenient to have to check in all the time.”
Darden School of Business Prof. Rajkumar Venkatesan gave an insight into the background of this seemingly rushed and unexpected new policy.
“Netflix has nowhere to hide,” Venkatesan said. “You have to show the market how many people have joined the platform and how many people are paying members… Netflix has a unique challenge in that regard.”
For many college students, however, the justification was nil, as this announcement sparked outrage. Students wondered how to check in at home when they live in a different city, state or country for much of the year.
While it seems that Netflix is open to the opinions of its users, it was young people tear Netflix has been making a difference on social media and beyond since news of this new policy broke. Knowing the policy will disproportionately affect them, students have taken to platforms like Twitter and TikTok to chide Netflix for their seemingly absurd new decision.
“This new #Netflix password sharing system is ridiculous,” said one Twitter user called. “Because I’m away from home and college do they want me to make my own account even though I’m going home? Don’t they understand that not all families are in one household all the time?”
For sophomore Hannah Jackson, social media was the first place she heard about the new policy.
“I first saw it on Tiktok, someone complained about it, and then I scrolled through the comments,” Jackson said.
In Assoc. Media studies professor Jack Hamilton says overlooking college students is a colossal mistake on Netflix’s part.
“The demographic that college students are in is probably the most valuable demographic in terms of what everyone wants,” Hamilton said. “If you can nurture brand loyalty or brand affection with people who are teenagers or young adults, that’s a really valuable thing. Everyone wants those viewers.”
Young viewers like Gustitus feel the directive alienates them and the decision is likely to result in a drop in young viewership. Going neck and neck with the college population in the United States is arguably a risky move for Netflix, especially as alternative streaming services like Disney+ gain traction ever larger part of the cake.
Prof Venkatesan said Netflix is unlikely to end up immediately recognizing the need to cater to their younger demographic.
“They have to put out bigger fires,” Ventatesan said.
Unless Netflix changes the policy to accommodate them, students will likely look for loopholes to continue using their parents’ accounts. Regardless, Netflix’s fate remains uncertain in the eyes of students. Is this the downfall of Netflix in the eyes of the student? Only time can tell.
