Taking its cue from Netflix, Disney+ plans to crack down on password sharing

Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan in ‘Ms. Marvel.’ Picture: Disney +

Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan in ‘Ms. Marvel.’ Picture: Disney +

Published Aug 10, 2023

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Disney+ wants to tackle the issue of account sharing.

The streaming giant boasts more than 150 million subscribers worldwide, but the company believes a "significant" number of its users are sharing passwords and therefore only paying for one account, so it is set to combat the problem over the course of the coming year.

During an earnings call on Wednesday, CEO Bob Iger said: "We will begin to update our subscriber agreements with additional terms and our sharing policies and roll out tactics to drive monetization.

“While it is likely you’ll see some impact in calendar 24, it’s possible that... the work will not be completed within the calendar year."

Iger went on to add that the issue of password sharing is a "priority" for the streaming service, which gives users access to more than 40,000 hours of content with classic films, Disney Channel sitcoms and original series such as 'The Mandalorian' all available to stream on demand.

He said: "But we certainly have established this as a real priority, and we actually think that there’s an opportunity here to help us grow our business."

The company also announced plans to expand their lower-cost, ad-based subscription plans.

Joe Earley, President, Direct-to-Consumer, Disney Entertainment, said: "The strong momentum of our ad-supported plans in the US demonstrates the importance of providing consumers with choice, flexibility and value.

“We are excited to expand that offering in more markets across the globe, including in Europe and Canada, and to launch a new premium duo bundle of ad-free Disney+ and Hulu this Fall, as we take steps toward making extensive Hulu content available via Disney+ later this year for Bundle subscribers!"