Bad news for those who share their account. Warner Bros. Discovery is in turn preparing to restrict the sharing of passwords on its Max streaming platform, following the example of Netflix and Disney+. This new policy will be rolled out gradually from the end of 2024 and will continue in 2025 and 2026.
A gradual and measured deployment
Unauthorized password sharing represents a significant loss of revenue for the streaming industry, estimated at around $25 billion per year according to Fortune. Netflix led the way by banning the practice last year, which resulted in a significant increase in subscriptions. The service recorded 5.9 million new users in the quarter following this measure. Max is therefore about to follow in the footsteps of its biggest competitor.
Max intends to proceed with caution in applying these new rules. The platform will start by sending “very gentle” informational messages to its subscribers in the coming months. A “paid sharing” option will be implemented, allowing users to add additional members to their account for a lower cost than the standard subscription.
With 110.5 million subscribers currently, Max has a significant user base but remains far behind Netflix. This initiative is part of a broader strategy aimed at improving the profitability of the service, which also includes enriching the catalog with new seasons of popular series such as House of the Dragon and The Last of Us.
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