How to juggle multiple TV streaming services without missing a show
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Loading... - Ondobo Djoulde
- 30 Aug 2022
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We’re in television limbo. The cable model is fading away but streaming has become just as crowded, expensive and frustrating. Hit television shows are scattered across services, and watching even a handful of the best requires more than one subscription.
There’s no quick fix for the streaming blues, but there are some tips on new things you can try. First, let’s dig into what the rules are for sharing and who is cracking down.
Streamers worry the end is coming for lax password-sharing rules
Share accounts, as much as you’re comfortable
Yes, you are able to share logins for your streaming accounts, but the exact rules vary from company to company. Penalties for breaking these rules are typically murky and mild. There’s little evidence any companies have taken legal action for casual sharing, but it’s more serious for people stealing accounts or sharing with many people for profit.
If you’re worried, start by checking the terms of service for each company to see if they specify who you can or cannot share with (we break some down below). Most will use the term “household,” but the companies we spoke to largely declined to say if that definition included close family living elsewhere, or if people had to share the same primary addresses a certain amount of time. Some specifically allow sharing with immediate family regardless of location, such as HBOMax and Apple TV Plus. (Netflix has come out to say “household” means you share the same primary address most of the time, which would rule out college kids, second homes, and possibly anyone who travels full-time for work.)
There’s been an industry-wide lax approach to account-sharing enforcement, and it’s created an odd situation for many TV watchers who mix and match logins with family or friends. The companies are vague about what they enforce and how, and have a history of embracing sharing accounts to build up buzz and user numbers. They could be keeping the door open to cracking down if and when it’s better for business.
We asked the top eight streaming services if and how they enforce account sharing.
- Netflix: The company is going to start going after sharing with people outside the same home and will use your IP address to track offenders. It’s currently testing enforcement in three countries by pushing people to pay for their own streaming for a lower cost. You can stream on 1 to four screens at a time, depending on your plan.
- Prime Video: You can share a Prime account with one other adult, but Amazon did not clarify if they need to live at the same address or say if it is enforcing unwanted sharing.
- Disney Plus: Disney terms do not specify whom you can or can’t share your login with, but a Disney account allows four streams at a time, seven profiles, and downloads on up to 10 devices. The company says it has technology to flag “suspicious” activity but did not say what actions it takes or what qualifies as “suspicious.”
- HBO Max: The HBO Max terms say you can add up to five user profiles for members of your immediate family or people in your household, meaning it’s okay if you’re sharing with family in a different state. Read More...
