According to company data, Netflix has 200 million subscribers in the world and 33% of them share their password with at least one other person.

The American streaming giant Netflix, which has always been permissive when it comes to its users sharing their passwords, could be about to change its position, according to several American media.

Clients of the platform received a warning message this week to verify that they lived in the same place as the account owner.

To make sure of this, Netflix offers to send a code by email or text message. If not, the user is invited to register for free for a period of 30 days.

“This test is to ensure that people who use Netflix accounts are authorized to do so,” said a company spokesperson in a statement sent to several US media, including the specialized site The Streamable, which revealed this for the first time. information on Thursday.

According to a survey conducted in February 2020 by consultancy Magid, a third of users of streaming services like Netflix share their passwords with people who do not live with them.

This practice has long been tolerated by Netflix, despite being officially prohibited by California company policy.

The company consolidated its position as number one in paid video streaming at the end of 2020, surpassing 200 million worldwide for the first time.

Its user base has grown considerably as a result of the covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.