Netflix ponders password sharing crackdown

[AGTDenton]

Theres a few things I feel missing or need improving from Netflix that would make it a better service.

• Ability to browse the service as a non paying, non signed up user to see what they have on offer via their website. Currently we're presented with a very unfriendly page trying to force you to pay or go away with no information about what you're signing up to. I find this very cagey and a wildly out of date method of getting people to sign up to a service.
• There's no means that I'm aware of to engage with the service beyond watching the main content - such as reviews, discussion, soundtracks, extra features etc... Perhaps have their own interactive IMDB area.
• It's currently a faceless service - they should do some sort of monthly show to tell you whats coming up, behind the scenes of some of their films, interviews etc... Be more engaging than just publishing a list.
• Similarly why not have a TV show with real presenters, maybe even a Gameshow
• Open up the service a bit more to some YouTuber/Spotify podcasters exclusive content to Netflix
• They should do a Netflix store to buy some merchandise
• Improve the browsing of content, I think it's cumbersome in it's current state. Categories are all over the place, I'd prefer to see a full screen list of films and not a row that I have to scroll to the right or left.

It all just feels like a stale lifeless, directionless service that's not thinking outside the box.

[jimbouk]

It's all about the algorithms! The move from star ratings to % match was pretty cynical. Why have people pan a new series, it can just quietly sink away without a bad word. Want something new, we're going to push this thing at you endlessly. Not watched it yet? How about now that we've changed the cover art and put it in 4 more lists. Oh, it's because you've already watched it on a different service...

Honest reviews and comments would be good, I enjoy the random comments on Crunchyroll (though I think I'm I bit old for some of the schoolboy chat). These require moderating to some degree which would require people and not an algorithm.

[DanceswithUnix]

Never bothered with it, but it is annoying that just as we hit the point of likely needing it (parenthood) they have jacked the prices.

Sounds like you would be better off with Disney+ anyway. Cheaper, and more kids content.

Small kids will happily sit on front of cbeebies on freeview mind. As a parent it drove me nuts; I don't know if they still work on a 4 hours loop as it's been about 10 years since I've watched it. But small kids love repetition.

[Jonj1611]

This bloke kind of sums it up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmLUzaQHzcw

[Jonj1611]

Sounds like you would be better off with Disney+ anyway. Cheaper, and more kids content.

Small kids will happily sit on front of cbeebies on freeview mind. As a parent it drove me nuts; I don't know if they still work on a 4 hours loop as it's been about 10 years since I've watched it. But small kids love repetition.

It's been many many years since I endured childrens tv. Its only after many sessions with a counsellor I have managed to get the Balamory theme tune out of my head.

[Saracen999]

This bloke kind of sums it up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmLUzaQHzcw

Yeah .... as a basis for discussion. Oh, and he's often very interesting to watch, and on legal issues, clearly walks the walk as well as talks the talk.

What he skips over a bit, and so did I earlier, is that there's a difference between what they can legally do, and something that (to use a politically incorrect term) will go down about as well as a pork sausage at a Jewush wedding) is going to be a PR disaster.

Yes, it's in the T&Cs, and has been for years so anyone sharing passwords outside their immediate 'household' will be breaking the T&Cs and has been for years.

But seeing as most people (I suspect) don't even look at the T&Cs let alone read them carefully, and in a good few cases, wouldn't understand them anyway due to the deliberately obscure legalese, it feels like Netflix are taking away something subscribers had for years.

But a good analogy might be that games companies implementing anti-piracy methods (as they did some ears back, now) are taking away people's 'right' to rip off games at will, and without paying anything, when in fact such a 'right' never existed in the first place.

It also has to be said that there exist some precedents in law for the principle of "defend it or lose it". One would be the ability, now removed, to 'squat' on a bit of land and if you do so for long enough (ten years IIRC), and 'use' the land as your own for that period, you can claim ownership and the original owner might well lose all right to it. That example is more complex than that, and has changed quite a bit in the original owner's favour now anyway, but it's illustrates the prnciple I'm getting at - an argument in principle (though not in law, as I understand it) is that Netflix should have been much more vocal about this years ago, if thy objected. But didn't.

My own suspicion is that they didn't object because it kind-of suited them, and probably formed the justification for a lot of people taking out the subscription in the first place, and Netflix knew that full well.

But while they do have the legal right to moan about it now, and take action to prevent it, they are going to lose the PR war as a result, and probably, more subscribers too.

How badly they lose it might depend on how aggressively they stick extra charges on people. If I got warned,then charged, fair enough. If I just got charged, then whether they have the legal right or not, I would be pi.... erm, annoyed, and very likely would just cancel the account as a result.

My advice ('cos I'm sure Netflix will really care what I think ) is to do this cautiously. But, maybe they are. Maybe that's exactly what the statements over this are designed to do?


For clarity, I do not have a Netflix account, and never have. I do get Amazon Prime video because I have Prime for other reasons (mostly, getting stuff during lockdowns when high street stores were largely closed anyway), and despite having access to Amazon video have never used it. I like to buy my video content on physical media, which is why I have a lot of that, that I'm now sticking on my own NAS, for convenience. And shelf space. So Netflix and charges for password sharing, personally .... DILLIGAS.