How much is your streaming account worth on the Dark Web?
Netflix recently announced a crackdown on the sharing of account details and has introduced a paid sharing option to allow multiple users. It isn't surprising then that there's a thriving Dark Web market for streaming account details.
Research from AtlasVPN shows that account logins for popular streaming services are being sold for an average of $11.
Netflix hides information about account sharing crackdown after details were spotted in its Help Center
It has been known for some time that Netflix intends to take steps to prevent subscribers from sharing their account with anyone from outside their household. Since the inception of Netflix, password sharing has been a common practice, so the company's action will impact large numbers of people.
Details about just how it will stop people from sharing their account password with others have not been forthcoming, but in a newly-removed Help Center page the approach that will be taken has been exposed. Although the revealing page has now been taken down, it has been recorded for posterity by the Internet Archive.
Netflix will start cracking down on passwords sharing in the coming weeks
At the same time as sharing its Q4 2022 earnings report, Netflix has revealed that its much-hyped crackdown on password sharing will roll out before the end of this quarter.
In a letter to shareholders, the company reveals that more than 100 million households currently share their accounts with others, pointing out that this "undermines our long term ability to invest in and improve Netflix". Having already tested charging for account sharing in Latin America, the plan is to expand this to a much larger proportion of the subscriber base.
Netflix launches Manage Access and Devices feature to let you kick devices from your account
Netflix has announced a new feature that makes it possible to log out of any logged-in devices from Account Settings.
While the company is suggesting that is something that would be useful for things such as forgetting to log out of your Netflix account on a hotel TV, it is also likely to be used to give freeloaders the boot. Additionally, it serves as a helpful security feature, giving Netflix subscribers a way to remotely log out of unrecognized devices.
Netflix finally announces its cheaper subscription -- Basic with Ads
It has been a very, very long time coming, but a cheaper Netflix subscription tier, complete with ads, arrives next month.
The new ad-supported plan is called Basic with Ads, and will cost $6.99 per month when it launches in the US on November 3. Netflix says that the cheaper tier will be available in 11 other countries, and shares details of the limitations subscribers will have to put up with, including the fact that some shows and movies simply will not be available if you're not paying for a more expensive ad-free Basic, Standard or Premium plan.
Starting next month, we'll see independently audited viewing figures for Netflix shows
Streaming video giant Netflix has signed up as a member of Barb (Broadcasters' Audience Research Board) in the UK. This means that starting in November we will have access to independently audited viewing figures for Netflix shows.
The numbers will make for interesting reading as, until now, this is data that Netflix has been very secretive about. But with an ad-supported tier due to be launched, advertisers will require details about the number of people they can expect to reach with their advertisements.
How digital transformation and building APIs got faster
Digital transformation initiatives have been a top priority for several years in most companies. However, while such programs are considered a necessity for the long-term survival of most businesses, they haven’t always been prioritized or given the resources they deserve.
That all changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, according to analyst Gartner, customers expect companies to accelerate digital initiatives due to COVID-19 and all industries are experiencing widespread digitization. In turn, this is accelerating the adoption of thousands of new APIs. That’s because the drive to make services digital is no longer a nice to have but business critical. Even post COVID, with some businesses opting for a hybrid work environment, we are seeing that acceleration continue. Put simply, as they race to catch up, organizations are digitizing and innovating faster than ever before.
Change data capture: The critical link for Airbnb, Netflix and Uber
The modern data stack (MDS) is foundational for digital disruptors. Consider Netflix. Netflix pioneered a new business model around video as a service, but much of their success is built upon real-time streaming data.
They’re using analytics to push highly relevant recommendations to their viewers. They’re monitoring real-time data to maintain constant visibility to network performance. They’re synchronizing their database of movies and shows with Elasticsearch to enable users to quickly and easily find what they’re looking for.
Netflix's upcoming, cheaper, ad-supported tier has some serious drawbacks
If you have been put off getting a Netflix subscription because you think it's too expensive, the upcoming introduction of a reduced-cost, ad-supported tier may sound appealing. But there are numerous downsides, some of which are only just coming to light.
First of all, there is -- of course -- the fact that there are ads. But if you're happy to put up with this, you may be disappointed to learn that you won't be able to access all content either. But it gets worse. Sign up for the ad-supported tier and you could be missing out on some of the most useful functionality Netflix offers.
There is a huge problem with Netflix's ad-supported subscription tier -- and it's not the ads
We've known for a little while that there was a cheaper subscription tier coming to Netflix. We have also been aware that the price to pay for a reduction in price is the requirement to view ads -- Netflix has teamed up with Microsoft as its advertising partner.
But the inclusion of ads is not the only downside to the cheaper tier. Netflix has now revealed that ad-supported subscriptions will not be able to access all of its video content.
Netflix has found a way to get money out of users who share passwords
Netflix has been battling dropping subscriber numbers for a while, and the company has been looking for ways to either recoup the money lost through a shrinking userbase, or to increase the number of people willing to pay for access.
To provide a cheaper point of entry, Netflix has plans to introduce a lower-cost, ad-supported subscription tier, but the company has also talked about clamping down on people who share passwords and access to their account with friends. And with the newly announced "extra home" option, we've finally learned just how this is going to work.
Microsoft teams up with Netflix to offer cheaper, ad-supported subscriptions
Netflix has previously confirmed plans to introduce an ad-supported tier that would provide a lower cost subscription entry point. Details have been somewhat lacking, but it has just been announced that Microsoft is partnering with the streaming video service as it introduces cheaper plans.
The company has signed a deal with Netflix, with the streaming giant describing Microsoft as "our global advertising technology and sales partner".
Netflix shares tumble as company reveals drop in subscribers, plans for ads, and price increases for account sharers
Shares in Netflix plummeted by more than a fifth after the streaming company reported a drop in subscriber numbers for the first time in more than a decade. In the first quarter of 2022, Netflix lost 200,000 subscribers and the prediction is for things to get much worse over the rest of the year.
For those subscribers who are sticking around, there is a double whammy of bad news. Not only is there the threat that Netflix will introduce advertisements, but also that it will charge higher subscription fees to anyone who shares their account with others.
Netflix is going to trial charging users who share their account password
There can be few Netflix users out there who have not teamed up with friends or family to share a single account between multiple households. While this is a great way to reduce the cost of accessing the streaming service, Netflix is a little irked at the revenue it is missing out on as a result.
As such, the company has announced that it is planning a test that will prompt some password-sharers to pay a bit extra to add extra "sub accounts" to their Standard and Premium plans.
Is the Netflix price hike too much for you?
Streaming video has been a big deal for a while and for many it’s replaced cable and satellite services, with some choices offering live TV over the internet. You might think you'll save money by cutting the cord but really, voice of experience here, you'll end up paying just as much in the long run, depending on the services you choose to have.
Yesterday, Netflix announced a price hike going into effect in the month of March. The price will be jumping from $13.99 per month for the standard plan to $15.49. The company today sent out an email to its considerable user base stating:
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