In the life of Zipcock that started around the world because of Corona 19, Netflix is a ray of hope to soothe boredom and frustration. In fact, in the first half of 2020, when the spread of Corona 19 began, the number of Netflix subscribers increased sharply. Thanks to this, the number of subscribers worldwide currently exceeds 200 million.
By the way, is Netflix’s actual number of users of 200 million? It won’t. The actual number of Netflix users could be far more than 200 million. This is because many users share their Netflix account with family, friends, and lovers. If you are sharing your Netflix account with others, it will be difficult to share your account in the future.
Netflix starts cracking down on account sharing
According to multiple foreign media such as The Verge, Wired, and Tom’s Guide, Netflix is cracking down on users’ account sharing practices. Recently, Netflix has introduced a limited trial of a two-factor authentication system that requires entering a code sent by text or e-mail when logging in to prevent users from sharing accounts.
If you can’t enter a separate code at the given time, Netflix prompts the user to create an account.
Many users complained about this. This is because, as well as the hassle of having to enter the code every time you log in, it is difficult to use the service while saving the subscription fee because it is difficult for people who share the account of another person to pass the code information transmitted by Netflix within a limited time.
However, through the terms of service, Netflix stated that “only the user is used for non-commercial purposes, and the account should not be shared with anyone other than the family,” and suggested that it would not prevent account sharing among family members.
Netflix’s crackdown on account sharing, mixed reactions
Tom’s Guide, an American online media, argued that Netflix’s crackdown on account sharing does not benefit both Netflix and users.
The media pointed out that in the past, not many users actually observed the prohibition of sharing accounts with others except their family members specified in the terms of service, and no one felt guilty even if they violate this. Considering this, it is a bit of a hassle to crack down on account sharing, but we can predict that account sharing practices will continue.
In addition, a problem arose in the two-factor authentication system that was already piloted. An underage child sharing a parent’s Netflix account had to enter a code to log into the account. At this time, Netflix’s code was sent to the parents, and after that, parents had to hand over the code information to their children within a given time, causing trouble. This contradicts the terms and conditions of the service, which allows account sharing among family members.
Many users are complaining about the hassle of entering the code. However, unlike Netflix’s intention, the two-factor authentication system will not be of great benefit. This is because even with the introduction of a two-factor authentication system, as Netflix calculated, there is no guarantee that the person who shared the account of another person will join Netflix.
On the contrary, the global monthly newspaper Wired said positively that Netflix’s two-factor authentication system has an advantage, especially in terms of account security.
As Dr. Steve Ragan, a researcher at Internet infrastructure company Akamai, points out, sharing your Netflix account poses a risk of personal information being leaked. In particular, the greater the number of people sharing accounts, the greater the risk of information leakage.
Also, given that many people use the same ID and password on multiple sites, someone can target this and hack into account information of other websites or services beyond Netflix accounts.
However, if a two-factor authentication system is used, it is helpful to prevent theft of personal information and account hacking of various sites and services as it becomes difficult for others to access the account.
On the other hand, Netflix’s dual authentication system is being piloted to a limited extent, and it is not known in detail whether the specific period of the pilot operation and whether the scope of application of the dual authentication system has been extended. Also, it is unclear whether Netflix will officially introduce a two-factor authentication system or whether it will look for other ways to strengthen account security instead of a two-factor authentication system.
Whether Netflix’s two-factor authentication system can catch the two rabbits of increasing the number of subscribers while enhancing account security as Netflix intended, or, conversely, whether it will cause consumers to turn their backs due to the cumbersome login process, many industry insiders have questioned. I am paying attention.