What the End of Sharing Streaming Passwords Means For You GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Streaming

What the End of Sharing Streaming Passwords Means For You

Better security, for a start

By Sascha Brodsky Sascha Brodsky Senior Tech Reporter Macalester College Columbia University Sascha Brodsky is a freelance journalist based in New York City. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, the Guardian, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on May 23, 2022 01:02PM EDT Fact checked by Jerri Ledford Fact checked by Jerri Ledford Western Kentucky University Gulf Coast Community College Jerri L. Ledford has been writing, editing, and fact-checking tech stories since 1994. Her work has appeared in Computerworld, PC Magazine, Information Today, and many others. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Streaming Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Streaming services are trying to crack down on the growing number of users who share their passwords. Netflix officials recently said that 100 million people are using their service without an account of their own. Streaming passwords are often shared online, and experts say this method is inherently unsafe. Jonas Augustin / Unsplash If you share the password to a streaming service, you are not alone, but time might be running out for this generous habit, and security experts say that's a good thing. According to research from cybersecurity firm 1Password, nearly half of all Gen Zs and a quarter of Millennials have a password to a parent's streaming service. But that era may be drawing to a close with giants like Netflix, AT&T (HBO Max), and Disney enforcing limits on password sharing. "It's not that sharing your password is bad; it's more that people share in an unsafe way, which leads to leaks," 1Password co-founder Sara Teare told Lifewire in an email interview. "Our research reveals that 76 percent of families share passwords, often by writing them down somewhere, sharing them in a message, or storing them in a shared spreadsheet."

No More Free Lunch

It's an open secret that friends and families often keep each other in the loop when it comes to the details of their streaming service accounts, and companies are taking note of all the passwords going around. Netflix officials recently said that 100 million people are using their service without an account of their own and will be taking steps to bring those users into paid plans. AT&T CEO John Stankey told analysts that the company, which owns HBO, will also try to make password-sharing harder. "We were thoughtful about how we built the product," he said, according to a transcript of the call with analysts. "We were thoughtful about making sure that we give customers enough flexibility, but we don't want to see rampant abuse. And so I'm not going to go into all the details, but there were a lot of things and features built into the product that are consistent with the user agreement, that has terms and conditions of how they can and can't use it. And we've enforced them obviously in a way that I think has been customer-sensitive." It's not that sharing your password is bad; it's more that people share in an unsafe way, which leads to leaks. The game may be up for people who share streaming passwords, JD Sherman, the CEO of Dashlane, which makes a password-sharing app, told Lifewire via email. He predicted that soon users will no longer have joint access to various streaming services. "Some streaming services have restrictions that only allow account holders to share accounts and passwords with those living in their households, which can make it difficult for certain family members who may have once lived in the home but are now attending an out-of-state school," Sherman said. "Streaming service users may have to get creative if they try to pawn off their account to friends and extended family."

Sharing Isn t Always Caring

Streaming passwords are often shared online via email or a spreadsheet, and Teare said that the problem is that these methods are inherently unsafe. If your information falls into the wrong hands or an account is involved in a breach, the first thing an attacker looks for is anything resembling a password. "With sharing, you might not directly experience that hack, but the person you shared your password with could, putting you at risk—and the risk goes up the wider you share," Teare added. "Once a hacker finds passwords, their next step is to try that password on any potentially valuable accounts—everything from your bank account to your Instagram page. It's a significant risk that many of us don't consider when we're just trying to help a family member stream a show or access the wifi." According to the 1Password survey, many people consider themselves to be their family's designated 'head of IT,' with 61 percent of parents reporting they are in charge of their household's passwords. Also, 67 percent of respondents reported that they're the best password practices in their family, while just 29 percent thought they were the worst. Sherman said that any time you give someone access to an account you own, you're taking a risk. However, using a password manager is more secure than sending it to someone in plaintext. "You can limit the ability to view the password while still giving access," Sherman said. "If you need to change the password, you don't need to reshare it. What's more annoying than needing to use a shared password and realizing that someone changed it and didn't tell you?" Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Remove a Family Member From Family Sharing What Is the Default Windows Password? The 10 Best Password Managers of 2022 How to Find a Wi-Fi Password on an iPhone What to Do If You Forget Your Windows 7 Password How to See Who Shared Your Post on Facebook The 10 Best Ways to Watch Movies With Friends Online 8 Find-My-Friends Alternatives for Android How to Share Your Google Calendar How to Share Folders and Collaborate Using Google Drive How to Add a Profile to an Amazon Fire Tablet How to Share Wi-Fi Network Passwords in Windows 10 How to Share Your Wi-Fi Password on Android How to Make a Shared Family Library for Your Digital Life How to Get Netflix for Free How to Share a Wi-Fi Password to Mac Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies