Still sharing your Disney+ login? A stricter password crackdown might be coming to Canada
If you’re still sharing your Disney+ login with your family and friends in Canada, you might not be able to do so later this year.
In September 2023, Disney+ said changes could be coming to Canadian subscribers. By early November, Canadian subscribers were emailed about changes to their agreement, telling them they “may not share [their] subscription outside of [their] household.”
The service considers a “household” to mean the “collection of devices associated with your primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein.”
The move came after Netflix officially shut down password sharing in February 2023.
Following this, many Canadians have still been able to share their Disney+ login with others, but that might change after this summer.
On March 14, Disney+ told its US subscribers that using “another person’s username, password, or other account information” was now unallowed.
In an interview on Thursday’s CNBC show Squawk on the Street, Disney CEO Bob Iger said the streaming service is looking at ways to improve its engagement and “get the margins up.”
“I think we have to program more smartly, particularly outside the United States, which is to pick the markets where we can really move the needle with really strong local programming. We’ve had some success there — we need more success,” he told host David Faber.
“Password sharing is something else. In June, we’ll be launching our first real foray into password sharing [in] just a few countries and a few markets. But then it will grow significantly with a full rollout in September,” he continued.
Faber stopped to ask if Iger was referring to cracking down on password sharing.
“Yes, and all the things that I mentioned are components of what will turn this business into a business that we’re selling,” shared Iger.
Though the CEO did not specify if Canada would be one of the target markets in the September 2024 rollout, he did say he was talking about markets outside the US.
There are other reasons we could be affected — perhaps in the form of new subscription tiers with paid multiple profiles, à la other streaming giants.
Following in Netflix’s footsteps
In February 2023, Netflix introduced the ability to “buy an extra member” in Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain, but not in the US.
“A Netflix account is intended for one household, so we’re rolling out new features in Canada to give you more control over your account — and yes, you can still watch Netflix while travelling!” the platform said on X.
Before it enforced the new rules in Canada, New Zealand, Spain, and Portugal, Netflix had been experimenting with lucrative account-sharing techniques in several Latin American countries.
Since February, Standard or Premium Netflix plan members in Canada have been able to add an extra member “sub-account” for up to two people they don’t live with for an additional $7.99 per month. Each sub-account gets a profile, personalized recommendations, login, and password.
Iger’s interview made clear that from a business standpoint, Disney+ views Netflix as the epitome of streaming success and wants to replicate some of its strategies.
“Netflix is the gold standard in streaming. They’ve done a phenomenal job in a lot of different directions. I actually have very, very high regard for what they’ve accomplished. If we can only accomplish what they’ve accomplished, that would be great,” he said.
Daily Hive contacted Disney+, asking about the password-sharing crackdown and whether it will affect Canadians.
“Nothing to add to Bob Iger’s comments. No details to share at this time,” a representative told us.
Will Canadians have to pay more to share an account with their friends and family? We might find out this summer.
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