20 July 2023 , 13:03
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A controversial crackdown on account sharing seems to have paid off for streaming giant Netflix—as it's managed to attract millions of new subscribers.
The firm has reportedly seen more than 5.9 million new users sign up to its platform since March.
It's not clear exactly how many of those joined as a direct result of the account sharing measures, which instructed users to sign up for a subscription of their own or pay an additional fee to share their account outside their household.
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But it will come as welcome news to Netflix bosses, who saw around 1 million accounts leave the platform in the first half of 2022.
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In May, Netflix started asking users to pay to share their account details outside of their householdsThe streaming giant not only took action on password sharing to combat this—it also introduced a range of cheaper subscription tiers which allow people to watch Netflix for less in exchange for sitting through adverts.
That means the cheapest way to watch Netflix for new subscribers is with the firm's 'Standard with Adverts' offering, which provides you all of Netflix's shows and movies in full HD as long as you're content to watch ads.
Like many other streaming services, Netflix is currently grappling with the effects of ongoing strikes by writers and actors in the US and expects to spend less on content this year as a result.
Netflix's cheapest subscription for new members now requires users to sit through adverts (Netflix)Netflix head honcho Ted Sarandos said the firm needs 'to get this strike to a conclusion' and that it is 'not an outcome that we wanted'.
Both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA (which organises Hollywood actors) are currently striking together over pay, as well as the use of AI-generated content in TV and film.
The striking workers are after better 'residuals' from streaming companies, aka royalties, which they claim are lower than when working with traditional TV and film studios.
The strike began in May and have impacted the production of a number of high-profile TV series and films. This includes the next Spider-Man film, as well as The Last Of Us, The Boys, Deadpool 3 and many others.