Disney+ will allow password sharing—to an extent

Disney+ acknowledges that users are absolutely going to share their passwords with friends and family, and the streamer is going with the flow, BGR reports. 

By allowing up to four concurrent streams and seven user profiles per account, Disney+ has made it easy for multiple users to access the same account. The company also understands that password sharing is inevitable.

“Password sharing is definitely something we think about,” admitted Michael Paull, president of Disney Streaming Services, during last week’s Disney+ media event. Disney is confident that customers will appreciate the enormous service package offered for just $6.99 per month—not only in terms of content, but with free 4K viewing, unlimited downloads, and high-definition recording.

“We believe that consumers will see that value, and they’re going to act accordingly,” Paull said. “They’re going to use those accounts for their family, for their household. That being said, we do recognize password sharing exists and will continue to exist.”

However, Disney has also created tools to prevent unfettered sharing, which could hurt the new streamer’s growth. 

“We have created some technology that’s in the backend that we will use to understand behavior,” Paull continued. “And when we see behavior that doesn’t make sense, we have mechanisms that we’ve put in place that will deal with it.”

Password sharing has long been the elephant in the room for streaming services. Netflix, HBO, and dozens of other companies formed an online anti-piracy committee called the Alliance For Creativity and Entertainment to crack down on password sharing.

“You know there’s abuse and that’s not fair,” Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph told Yahoo Finance’s YFi PM.

Per a recent report from MoffettNathanson, roughly 14% of Netflix users claim they are using a password from another account. Another study by Leichtman Research Group says about 28% of U.S. subscribers admitted to sharing their Netflix account information, along with 22% of Hulu customers and 10% of Amazon Prime users.

READ MORE:

• Disney+ goes down on launch day
• How to sign up for the Disney+ bundle
• Every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie and show missing from Disney+ (and when they’ll show up)

H/T BGR

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