UK Govt: Netflix Password Sharing Is Illegal and Potentially Criminal Fraud | Hacker News Reader

UK Govt: Netflix Password Sharing Is Illegal and Potentially Criminal Fraud

torrentfreak.com

31 pointsshifty119 comments

The most frustrating part of this whole password sharing crackdown is that Netflix already charges for the number of simultaneous streams per account. Basic gets 1, standard gets 2, premium gets 4. And you pay a whopping $20/mo for that added privilege. Now suddenly the $20 isn't enough, and you must also prove the blood relation of people using the 4 streams that you are already paying for.

> Piracy is a major issue for the entertainment and creative industries. Pasting internet images into your social media, password sharing on streaming services and accessing the latest films, tv series or live sports events through kodi boxes, fire sticks or Apps without paying a subscription all break copyright law. Not only are you breaking the law but stopping someone earning a living from their hard work.

Jesus. Soon, quoting something will be piracy.

Click [here] to initiate your subscription for that quote. Failure to do so will result in legal consequences.

I had to stop using Netflix because they cracked down hard on password sharing, although it was only my family. I ended up without access to Netflix and reducing my familys plan to the middle tier as they don't need 4k or 4 screen if it's just going to be my mom and my dad.

When we had the middle plan back in 2015 or so we genuinely struggled as 2 screens at the same time was very restrictive, after that, changing to 4 screens solved most problems. But now my family was being logged out because I was in a different household. It's alright, it's their decision. But I'm not going to pay for a 4 screen plan when it's just myself and I'm definitely not watching in 720p. I would consider getting Netflix again if they had a 1 screen 4k plan.

Gosh, if password sharing is going to be illegal, one may as well just subscribe to $piracySiteNo7823672 for the same price and a broader selection of shows. Imagine the audacity in telling people they can't share passwords.

"But it's in the EULA you agree to!"

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I don't care. I'll take what I want, when and how I want it. The only decision these companies get is whether I will pay them, or pay a competitor with a superior experience. Netflix was why I stopped pirating movies way back when, and Netflix is why I started pirating again. The same goes for Amazon Prime music; I stopped paying in good faith the moment they started cutting vast swathes of my library out from under me.

Cause, meet effect.

The page in question: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/meta-counterfeit-...

Man, these anti-piracy laws are getting really mean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=3&v=ALZZx1xmAzg

Many drug plans begin with free drugs. An idea that probably goes way back in history.

Is it just me, or am I noticing baked goods using less sugar these days?

(Spoken as a once-upon-a-time cable TV addict.)

Password sharing sounds like using a false identity to obtain a service by deception... which is identity fraud under British law.

Nothing particularly new here, though the police would need to be involved in order to test this.

But they have profiles, which are designed for not a single identity.

Not a single identity but a very well defined set, a household, I believe. So if you know you are not part of that allowed set (and you do know) that is still obtaining a service by deception, IMHO.

The way it is defined, fraud is quite an extensive offence under British law if you start carefully looking at what people do.

> very well defined set, a household

What exactly is "very well defined" about a household? Are they using the IRS definition (obviously not, considering this applies worldwide)? Are unrelated people living together a household? What about families where kids are in college and come home for breaks? Domestic relationships that may or may not be recognized by a certain jurisdiction? What if some member is vacationing or traveling for work for extended periods? Or an extended family member (parents/grandparents) who lives with you for certain months of the year?

It's easy for Netflix to arbitrary say "yes" or "no" to any of these, but you are saying it should also be okay for the government to arrest and prosecute you for getting it wrong?

They define it quite clearly, though it's of course always possible to argue at the margin, but "password sharing" implies that the person knows they are not supposed to use the service, anyway.

I'm thinking the most common case is giving access to a friend a family member who does not live with you.

It's the act of knowingly 'cheating' that potentially brings you into fraud territory, IMHO.

What is not an extensive offence under British law at this point?

The UK is irrelevant.

It's doubtful we know anything about what actually goes on in European courts, since they don't have PACER equivalents.

Surely the UK have better things to worry about? Like a cost of living crisis?

I find these types of statements stupid.

Do you expect countries to focus on one thing at a time? Is it news that governments/companies have resources dedicated to solving different problems?

Well it sure feels like they work on the former and not the latter.

It’s not actually a problem though.

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